


blue

by bob_eclipsa_smith



Series: a song of sun and moon au [1]
Category: Tangled (2010), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Gen, GoT au, S3 and Beyond, Slow Burn, Varian is sixteen later seventeen, Void!Cass, and she’s the bad guy, duh - Freeform, enemies to frenemies, he still likes her, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2020-03-06 02:42:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 73,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18841975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bob_eclipsa_smith/pseuds/bob_eclipsa_smith
Summary: One night in the dungeons, Varian gets a special visitor. The next night is something new. Something blue.





	1. the proposal: part 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’m back on my bullshit. :)

_-_

_I am not the same, having seen the moon shine from the other side of the world._

_-_

Varian had been in this smelly Corona jail cell for - he looks over to the wall and counts the tallies. Yep, just as he thought. Nearly two-hundred and seven days he’s been here and nearly... he counts again… two-hundred and ten days he’s been without his father. By now, the anger within him has almost receded all the way - now there’s a gaping void of despair that’s replaced the seething rage inside of him. He almost misses it. It was easier to do what he had to do when he was angry. Easier to betray his friends when blinded by rage.

Now all that’s left for him to do is sit in his little corner with the raccoon dozing off besides him. Varian wonders how Ruddiger can do that - just sleep peacefully while there’s a storm of brooding thoughts running unbidden through Varian’s mind. It’s probably better to be a raccoon, he thinks darkly. No betrayal, no tragedy, just foraging in trash cans looking for food. Good life to live.

Varian manages a rare small smile, reserved for Ruddiger and Ruddiger only these days, pats Ruddiger’s head and leans his head back on the hard cobblestones. He goes back to thinking.

Then he gets a special visitor.

“Varian?”

Varian raises his head, the anger returning with a vengeance. He scowls at his visitor, his eyes meeting the tear-filled ones of Princess Rapunzel. Even in the dark, he can make out the glowing silhouette of her head. The thin stream of sunlight from the window creates a halo of pale gold around her hair. He glares at her, annoyed by how radiant she looks, even though she’s obviously in distress.

She comes closer when he says nothing, and Ruddiger, that little traitor, trots over to her with his tail in the air. Rapunzel meets Ruddiger at the bars, kneeling down in order to pet him. Ruddiger chitters empathetically, rubbing his head against her hand. Rapunzel sighs, looking at Varian through tear-stained lashes. He looks around apprehensively but sees no one else. Rapunzel came alone.

He sighs in surrender after a few moments of silence and rests his head back on the cobblestone wall. He doesn’t look at her, but he can feel her watching. Ruddiger’s chitters keep the room from complete awkwardness, but it’s not like Varian cares about such things anymore.

“What do you want?” he asks finally, the anger in his voice contrasting sharply with the comforting chitters of his companion.

Out of the corner of his eye, Varian sees Rapunzel flinch, and he reluctantly turns to look at her. He doesn’t usually consider his own state of being, but he supposes it’s pretty bad considering how Rapunzel regards him. Either that or it’s just a reaction from being in the presence of an enemy. Someone who tried to kill her and all her friends.

“I… I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” says Rapunzel softly, and Varian scoffs. He sees her rub her arm anxiously, an attempt to comfort herself most probably. Varian doesn’t even want to hear what she’s gotten herself into this time. It’s Eugene probably. She’s here for him. Varian rolls his eyes.

“No,” he says. “You wouldn’t have come down here for that, Princess.”

“Varian-”

“Don’t,” he snaps, and Rapunzel shuts her mouth. “Just leave me alone, Rapunzel. I don’t need or want to hear your voice.”

“But it’s-”

He laughs once, but it comes out a mirthless dirge. “Oh don’t tell me,” Varian drawls. “Your precious Eugene has gotten himself into trouble and you need my knowledge to save him.”

“No, Varian-”

“Well you know what? You can save him yourself, _Sundrop,_ ” says Varian darkly. “You’re perfectly capable.”

“Varian, please just listen to me-”

He snaps, white-hot anger taking a hold of him for the first time in a long while. “I don’t care which one of your friends needs help, Rapunzel! I would never, _ever_ help you. Not after what you did.”

Silence takes its rightful place once more. Varian feels Ruddiger’s head beneath his hand as the raccoon tries to comfort him. Varian pulls him onto his lap, and Ruddiger settles there, placing his head on Varian’s arm. He looks up at his master forlornly, cooing softly.

“You promised, Princess,” Varian speaks at a normal volume this time, throwing his words from half a year ago back at her. “You promised you would help me. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?”

Varian hears a strangled sob from the other end of the bars and winces at the sound. He wishes she would just go away. And miracle upon miracles, she does. He doesn’t look up when he hears the rustling of Rapunzel’s skirts as she stands, doesn’t meet her eyes. He doesn’t want to.

“I really am sorry, Varian,” says Rapunzel softly. “I never expected _any_ of this to happen.”

He shuts his eyes, pretending to not listen to her or care. Something happened to her. Something big. There’s something behind her words, a sorrow that very nearly rivals his own when he lost his dad. He wouldn’t appeal to his own curiosity now, however. He doesn’t need to hear about Rapunzel’s problems when he has his own to deal with.

“Goodbye Rapunzel,” says Varian coldly.

He hears her sigh. “Bye Varian.”

And Varian is all alone again, nothing but his own thoughts and the tight void of despair in his chest to keep him company.

~

He expected Rapunzel to come back. Varian knew better than to think that she’d just give up. He just never expected her to bring an entire posse with her this time and he never expected her to bounce back so quickly, returning to his cell the following day.

Varian looks up when Ruddiger hops off his lap and trots purposefully over to the front of the cell, chittering excitedly. His confusion quickly turns to annoyance when he sees Rapunzel again, crouched down and in the middle of giving Ruddiger a belly rub - which the raccoon seems to enjoy immensely, much to Varian’s chagrin.

He glares at the raccoon. Where’s the loyalty?

“I thought I told you, Princess,” says Varian icily. “Go find someone else to help you. I’m not moving.”

“Blondie, the kid’s not gonna help us. How do you know he even cares anymore?”

“I know he’ll help us,” Rapunzel says to Eugene, who remains in the shadows along with three other people. Neither of their shadows look familiar to Varian, and it strikes him suddenly that something, or someone is missing from the group. “He has to.”

The princess’ voice snaps him back. “Like hell,” he snorts indignantly, lips curled back in a snarl.

Varian’s eyes snap back to Rapunzel when he sees her stiffen, and this time, he sees angry dark eyes from the shadows meet his.

“Listen kid,” Eugene snaps, wrapping Rapunzel protectively in his arms. She looks up at him.

“Eugene,” she says softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. He’s just hurt.”

“Let me handle this, Blondie,” Eugene tells her. “You don’t have to talk to him. Not so soon and not about this.”

When his eyes met Rapunzel’s, they softened considerably, but when they lock on Varian’s, they’re seething, dark and bottomless. For the first time, Varian finds himself a little afraid of Eugene. He once again asks himself if he really wants to know what caused this once jovial group to turn cold.

Varian lifts his chin and faces Eugene. He wouldn’t show fear in front of these people. Especially not Rapunzel’s boyfriend when he looked at him like that. But still. There was something off about this entire situation and it rubbed Varian the wrong way. “I’m listening,” he says.

“It’s _Cassandra,”_ Rapunzel cuts in, her tear-ridden eyes angry, as though it were Varian’s fault. “She’s _gone_.”

Something stirs in Varian as he meets the princess’ eyes. He looks around the room, meeting the unfamiliar faces. An unexpected burst of panic swirls uncomfortably in his chest. She’s right. There is no sign of Cassandra.

He masks his interest, prompting to cross his arms instead. He hasn’t seen Cassandra in more than half a year, and yet the reminder of her sends a pang of guilt through him.

(“ _Hello, Cassandra. I always knew I could sweep you off your feet!”)_

Now she’s gone? It can’t be. She’s… _Cassandra._  She _can’t_ be gone, that wasn’t possible.

(“ _You chose me!”_

_“Don’t flatter yourself, kid.” But Varian could see the slightest bit of an amused smile forming at the corner of her mouth and his heart fluttered happily.)_

Varian ignores the beginning onslaught of grief, inwardly scolding himself for getting so soft. Ruddiger patters over to him and places his head in Varian’s lap, chittering softly. Varian sighs. “Why should I care about Cassandra?” he asks, voice tight. “If she’s dead, she’s dead. You can’t bring back the dead, not even with alchemy.”

“She’s not _dead,_  pipsqueak,” speaks up an unfamiliar voice from the shadows. “But we don’t have much time. If you don’t come with us, she might as well be.”

Varian meets the dark brown eyes of a woman he doesn’t recognize. She raises a thin eyebrow at him and steps forward, and Varian backs up instinctively. The woman is imposing, and she practically radiates power. She could tear him apart, he just knows it. Then Varian notices something else. The mark, the one with a circle and three slashes, is painted onto this woman’s hand. Varian narrows his eyes at her, not trusting her but also unable to conceal his curiosity.

“Who are you?”

“Adira,” she says nonchalantly, shrugging. “And you’re Varian, son of Quirin.”

Varian scowls at the mention of his father, and surprisingly, Adira’s eyes soften. She nods understandingly, and Varian looks away. He doesn’t want to talk about this anymore.

He sees Rapunzel kneel, her golden hair a beacon, warning him to her location. Everything was fine as long as she remained outside his cell. He didn’t want to be any closer to her than he has to be.

“Varian, please just listen. I know we’ve had our differences in the past and-“

A bitter laugh as Varian rises swiftly, heading to the front of his cell. Proximity be damned, she was infuriating.

“Differences? _Differences_?” he echoes, and Rapunzel scrambles backwards into Eugene’s awaiting arms. “What you did goes far beyond differences, _your highness._ ”

“Please, Varian. This isn’t about me. This is about _Cassandra.”_

Varian crosses his arms, narrowing his eyes. He looks away. “And what makes you think I still care about Cassandra?”

A flash of anger sparks in Rapunzel’s green eyes, and she opens her mouth to speak.

“They all die in the end,” Adira’s voice cuts in sharply from the darkness behind Rapunzel, causing the princess to flinch. “And she will be no exception, once the stone has its way with her.”

Varian meets Rapunzel’s eyes for a few seconds, his curiosity outweighing his patience. “What did you do to Cassandra?” he bites out.

Eugene rolls his eyes. “Okay, can we cut all this ridiculous dramatic bull? Cass- _an_ -dra thought it would be fun to pull an old side switch at the last minute.”

Varian raises an eyebrow. “Side switch-?”

Eugene waves his hands. “I know it’s a dumb expression, but that’s not the part you should be focused on! Look, there’s all this weird stuff that’s gone down since your little… uh… well, since you tried to kill us all. Long story short there’s this opal that’s connected to the rocks, a terrifying incantation, and a darkness that’s apparently been unleashed since the day the king ripped the golden flower from the ground.”

Varian rolls his eyes. “I know about the moonstone and the darkness.”

“Oh, perfect, he already knows!” Eugene raises an eyebrow. “So yeah, basically Cass went all power crazy and stole the opal for herself.”

“And everyone who has stolen the moonstone’s power before her has died in under a week,” an unfamiliar voice booms from the darkness. Varian meets a pair of brown eyes and a large mustache. He backs up at the sheer size of the man.

“Oh and yeah, I’m a prince!” Eugene cuts in, nudging the man’s broad shoulder.

“Back to the dying part of this,” says the man, and Eugene rolls his eyes. “The fun part, obviously,” the man adds dryly. “Lady Cassandra is in danger, as is everyone unless it is removed from her, do you understand?”

Varian scowls. “I don’t even know who you are.”

The man holds out his fist, revealing a circular mark with three slashes through it. Like Adira’s, like his father’s. “I am King Edmund of the Dark Kingdom, boy. I knew your father well.”

“My father is still alive!” Varian snaps.

“Your father hasn’t been exposed to air in a near year, boy,” Edmund replies. “He is dead.”

Varian scowls. “Get out.”

Rapunzel’s eyes widen. “But Varian-”

“I said _get out!”_  Varian snarls.

Adira puts a hand on Rapunzel’s shoulder. “He won’t help us, princess. We must find another way.”

Varian meets Rapunzel’s gaze for a little while, until she relents with a sigh.

She narrows her eyes. “Fine. Don’t help us. But just so you know,” Varian looks up at Rapunzel. “The Varian I knew wouldn’t have abandoned Cassandra.”

“I’m not the Varian you once knew, princess,” Varian answers darkly, his gaze firmly on the moon outside. “That Varian died when his father was encased in amber.”

“This trip down memory lane is pointless,” says Adira. “If we don’t find her in time, Short-hair is going to die.”

He grits his teeth. “And what makes you think I can find her?” he growls. “I tried to _kill_ her. I tried to kill most of you.”

Rapunzel gasps. Varian flinches.

“Just leave me alone, Princess,” he sighs, hoping his sheer exhaustion isn’t audible in his voice. Judging by the empathy mirrored in Rapunzel’s eyes, he assumes it very much is. He looks away.

Rapunzel nods her head. “I’m sorry Varian. For everything I’ve done.”

He clenches his hands into fists. After everything she had done to him, to his father and even to Cassandra, he hated the sight of her. “Goodbye, Rapunzel,” he growls again.

They file out in the next fifteen seconds, and Varian is alone once more.


	2. the proposal: part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m making Cass look like Cass for the purpose of clarification, except for the eyes. I’m personally not a fan of the blue hair idea, and I'm okay with the rock suit, but I absolutely love the idea that Cass is the moonstone and I’m putting my own little twist on her wardrobe. I kinda see her in a Jon Snow like outfit - all black because it’s villain Cass.

The next night, Varian has another visitor.

He wakes up to Ruddiger’s rapid footsteps and the cold that came with the absence of the raccoon that had been draped around his shoulders.

Varian mutters to himself, still very sleepy, and reaches out experimentally for his friend. “Ugh, buddy?” the young alchemist rubs his eyes. “Ruddy, what’re you…”

Bright blue eyes stare at him from the darkness, and Varian freezes. There’s a pair of hands, thin hands with slender fingers petting a happy Ruddiger, who treats this stranger like a long lost friend.

Varian narrows his eyes. “Who are you?” he demands, trying to keep the fear from his voice. “What do you want?”

There’s a pause, and then a laugh echoes throughout the empty section housing Varian. It’s a female laugh, a surprised one. A familiar one.

Varian watches frozen as Cassandra steps out of the shadows, her previously muddy-hazel eyes a bright fluorescent blue. The color of the rocks.

“Really, kid? ‘What do you want?’” says Cassandra, and oh, God it’s her _voice._ It is her.

The moonstone opal in her chest glows, pulsing like a grotesque heartbeat. She smiles thinly, and Varian has the sudden uncanny urge to throw up.

Cassandra shakes her head. “Thought you would have toughened up a bit in here, kid. But you’re still the same old Varian.”

“What do you want, Cassandra?” Varian repeats, spitting her name.

The young woman raises an eyebrow, the brightness of her eyes contrasting with the darkness behind her, the darkness of her hair and the darkness of her cloak. “Assistance,” she replies at last.

“And why,” Varian hisses, gripping the bars tightly. “Would I help you? Rapunzel already came here pleading for help.”

Cassandra leans forward so that their faces are quite nearly touching. Her eyes are blinding, unnatural. Varian fights the urge to back away.

“Because I am not Rapunzel,” says Cassandra. “And you owe me.”

“I _owe_ you?” Varian laughs bitterly. “For what? Trying to kill you? Don’t tell me you’re still caught up on that, Cassie.”

Cassandra snarls at the nickname, showing Varian that maybe, just maybe, he still has some power over her. He leans forward again.

“I don’t owe you anything, Cassandra,” Varian says softly. “You betrayed me. You sided with _her._ I owe you nothing.”

A pause, a nod, and then Cassandra’s hand is tightly wrapped around his throat, unnaturally cold. Like stone. “Let me make myself very clear, _kid,”_  Cassandra snarls, punctuating the final word like a jab in the chest. “I don’t have to explain myself to you or her. I don’t have to explain myself to anyone,” she releases him, regarding him carefully with those inhuman eyes. “Now, ask me your question again and maybe I’ll give you a little better of an answer.”

Varian hesitates. For the first time in a long while, he feels the cold brush of fear skirting down his spine. “What is it you want, Cassandra?” he asks again, quietly.

“You’re Corona’s enemy number one, kid,” says Cassandra. “Well, you were before me. I need your scientific expertise.”

“For what?”

“My motives are none of your concern,” says Cassandra. “Maybe I’ll tell you someday.”

“That’s a lot of ‘maybes’ milady,” says Varian carefully. “You’re crazy to think that I’d just help you when all you can tell me is ‘maybe’.”

To his surprise, Cassandra’s laughter echoes throughout the empty prison chamber. She closes her eyes as she laughs, and with the abnormal blue hidden behind her eyelids, Varian can almost pretend it’s the Cassandra he knew standing before him. Almost.

“What’s so funny?”

She opens her eyes again, watching him with the intensity of an owl. “I was wrong,” says Cassandra, smiling. “You have changed.”

“I’m not a boy anymore, Cassandra.”

“Oh yes, you are.”

Cassandra twirls a piece of hair around her finger and for a moment, the color blue reflects in the light, contrasting starkly with the natural dark brown.

“You may have taken the queen and tried to kill me, but you have a lot to learn about being an adult. Allow me to give you your first lesson,” she leans in close, the slope of her nose poking through the bars of his cell. “Allies are necessary in a war.”

“Who said this was a war?” Varian inquires darkly.

He watches Cassandra closely as she thinks of an answer, and for a moment, he thinks he sees a flash of emotion in her eyes. Emotion that wasn’t anger. “You’ve missed a lot, kid. This isn’t the Corona you remember.”

Varian says nothing as Ruddiger pads over to Cassandra, rubbing his head sympathetically against her hand. Her blackened hand.

When Cassandra sees Varian staring, her eyes narrow and she retracts her hand, putting it in the pocket of her cloak. She looks away. ”Make your choice,” she sighs.

Varian tries unsuccessfully to meet her eyes.

“I don’t have much time,” Cassandra snaps.

After everything, Varian is surprised to feel a slight pang of guilt simmering in his stomach. He looks at Cassandra and sees himself. Even after everything, under the armor she wears, he and Cassandra are still kindred spirits. One and the same.

He dares to venture over to the front of his cell, and he makes his decision. “Fine.”

Cassandra looks up at him, blue eyes wary. He shivers. He doesn’t think he’d ever truly get used to that change. His mother believed that eyes are truly the windows to the soul, and Cassandra’s eyes are now cold, dark, icy.

But not lifeless.

Not hopeless.

He meets her eyes now, daring to keep their gazes locked even though all he wants to do is look away. “I’ll help you.”

Cassandra grins, a mirthless, frightening grin worthy of traitors and murderers. Varian briefly wonders just how far it is she’s fallen, but then she waves a hand and the lock clicks on his cell.

In a time reminiscent of the first time Rapunzel and Cassandra met, Varian follows Cassandra into the night.


	3. aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frederic and Rapunzel have a chat. Varian discovers a brutal part of Cassandra’s plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of more word vomit. But plot based word vomit. I guess I’m continuing this story, at least for now.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, for those of you who question why Varian went willingly with Cass, it’s out of a combination of fear and begrudging respect. He may not stay with her for long though :)

Rapunzel sits on her bed, Pascal on her shoulders and Eugene at her right hand.

She shakes her head and heaves a shaky sigh. “I could have helped him.” Eugene grasps Rapunzel’s hand tightly in attempted comfort.

Adira rises from her relaxed position against Rapunzel’s wall. “He’s chosen his path,” she says, looking out the window so that Rapunzel can only see the painted side of her face. “At least for now. Maybe you could have helped him and maybe you still can.”

“She’s right, Blondie,” Eugene says. “Can’t give up yet. Cassandra is still out there.”

Rapunzel sighs again, running shaky hands through her long hair at the mention of Cassandra. “What have I done?”

Adira and Eugene say nothing, which says everything to Rapunzel. She pinches the bridge of her nose tightly, shutting her eyes for the briefest moment of solitude. The princess is broken from her reprieve by the familiar pat of her best friend. Pascal makes a concerned clucking sound and curls up at the small place where her neck meets her shoulder, and Rapunzel allows a small smile for her friend.

“You didn’t do anything, Raps,” Eugene puts a hand on her shoulder. “You did the best you could.”

“My best wasn’t good enough,” Rapunzel argues solemnly. “If I had just listened to her, trusted her judgement like she said…”

“The prince is right,” says Adira with a respectful nod to Eugene. “It isn’t your fault. There may have been something you could have done, Princess, but it’s done now. Cassandra’s out there and she is dangerous.”

“What happened to her?” Rapunzel wonders aloud, meeting Adira’s eyes. “What did _I_ do to her to turn her into… I don’t even know what she is anymore.”

“The best thing you can do right now is relax. Prepare yourself mentally. She may have the moonstone but you are the Sundrop, and the rightful owner of the moonstone. You and you alone can end this.”

“And Cass?” Rapunzel looks up, willing herself not to cry.

“She’s gone a different way,” Adira answers matter-of-factly. “There’s nothing you can do for her now. You can only help yourself and move forward.”

Rapunzel reluctantly nods, and Pascal curls up on her shoulder, chittering comfortingly at her. Rapunzel looks up. “So what do we do first? What’s our first move?”

“Princess Rapunzel!” The wide eyed page bursts into the door, with Pete and Stan at his sides. “Your father requests your presence. It’s urgent!”

Rapunzel hops up, Eugene at her side. Adira looks around uncertainly, her hand readily on the hilt of her sword. Rapunzel shakes her head at Adira, and the broad woman rolls her eyes, relaxing at the princess’ command. “What is it?”

Stan steps forward, his eyes grave. “You had better come with us.” He nods to Eugene and Adira. “You too. Your father requests your presence as well, Prince Eugene.”

“Edmund too?” Eugene asks bewildered.

Even now, it irks him to refer to the dark king as his ‘father’. He hadn’t met the man until a few days ago and already he’s supposed to just… accept him as his long lost parent? That’s not how Eugene rolls, and he’d damn well make sure others know of it. His stubbornness was trying at times sure, but Rapunzel understood how it felt to have your life turned around at the drop of a hat. She’d help him through this and she’d make sure she does it well. Rapunzel doesn’t know how she’d cope if Eugene were to turn on her too. She doesn’t think she can bear it.

Adira sighs, looking bored. “Princess, do you want me to come to this or can I go get something to eat?”

Rapunzel smiles slightly. “Rapunzel, and you can do whatever you like, Adira. You’re not sworn to protect me or anything.”

Adira meets Rapunzel’s eyes and nods. A nod of respect, and pity, Rapunzel notices with a slight pang of annoyance. And then she gracefully rises, only to follow Rapunzel out the door, standing ready and alert at her left side. Rapunzel meets her eyes again, and it’s as if there’s a certain understanding between them. She nods, smiling slightly, and Adira smirks.

“Okay then,” Rapunzel sighs, running a hand through her hair. “Let’s go meet with my dad. Can’t get any worse, can it?”

~

When they enter the throne room, King Frederic and King Edmund are in the midst of an arguing match. Rapunzel freezes in her place, sighing. Eugene and Adira enter after her, the latter moving to stand in front of Rapunzel, her imposing stature blocking the princess from the warring kings. She meets Rapunzel’s gaze, questioning whether or not she should intervene. Rapunzel nods.

Adira doesn’t unleash her sword. She doesn’t need to. She simply walks up in typical Adira fashion and pushes the two men back from each other. “Rapunzel’s here,” she says to Frederic, who turns to his daughter, surprised to have been caught in the midst of such an argument. Adira raises an eyebrow at Rapunzel. “So much for not getting any worse,” she says.

Rapunzel steps forward, and Adira heads back over to the princess’ side. King Edmund watches his former knight with mistrust in his eyes. Rapunzel steps in front of Adira to shield her from the dark king’s glare and the woman sends her a surprised look.

“Dad? What’s going on?”

King Edmund scoffs. “As if she doesn’t know,” he glares at her. “She is the one my son allowed into the moonstone chamber, and she is the one who allowed it to get stolen!”

Frederic stops the brash king with a stern glare. “That’s enough,” he snaps. “We may have been allies long ago, but that doesn’t give you the right to insult my daughter!”

Edmund stares Rapunzel down. “She knows what she did,” he says darkly. “Allowing a power-hungry lady in waiting to snag the most powerful known object in the universe.”

Rapunzel flinches. “Is that it?” she asks. “Because he’s right. Cass has the moonstone and she’s-”

Frederic silences his daughter with a stern hand. “I know about Cassandra and I know what she has become. But there have been new developments, my child. Varian the alchemist has escaped.”

“What?!” Rapunzel screeches. “But we were just in Old Corona! He was locked up tight there and he wasn’t keen on leaving. At least not with me…” she pales. _Don’t tell me._

Frederic pulls something out of his pocket and holds it out to Rapunzel. “Do any of you recognize this?”

Rapunzel takes the object from her father, opening her fist to see what it is. She’s surprised to see it’s a toy necklace of sorts, old purple and blue beads adorning the string. A large purple rock dangles in the middle of the pattern, still shiny after all these years. Rapunzel flinches at the energy she feels radiating from it. _Cassandra._

“This was Cassandra’s,” she says sadly, rubbing the gemstone in between her fingers. “Varian made it for her a… a long time ago.”

Frederic’s eyes darken, and Edmund just looks plain furious. “Well that’s that, Frederic,” says the dark king. “The girl is giving us a message. She has the boy, just as we expected.”

“No,” Rapunzel protests, slipping the necklace into her pocket. “Varian wouldn’t have gone with Cassandra. He’s… he’s smarter than that.”

“We found the necklace in his empty cell,” Edmund says. “Perhaps the girl has corrupted him, promising him something in return for his help.” Edmund narrows his eyes. “But it’s not as if you’d know, Princess. It was you that initially betrayed his trust, was it not?”

Rapunzel takes a step back, minutely shocked. Then Eugene steps forward, slipping her hand into his. His eyes blaze angrily, more furiously than Rapunzel had seen since Mother Gothel attempted to take her away forever. “Leave her out of this,” he snaps. “She’s been through enough these past few days.”

Edmund sneers. “You side with this slip of a girl instead of your own father? We have a duty: to protect the moonstone and keep everyone from it. I trusted you and her, son and this is what became of it. Do not blame me for your girlfriend’s mistakes.”

“I don’t blame you for anything,” Eugene returns. “I don’t blame you for trying to do your duty, but you gave me _away_ -”

“I did it to protect you-”

“But you still did it,” Eugene snaps. “And I survived. I became who I am today because of Rapunzel and I’ll stay by her side because I love her. Your duty may have been to protect the moonstone, but I am not you or our ancestors. My duty is to protect the Sundrop. It has been since the moment I met Rapunzel.”

Edmund lifts his chin and stares at his son. Eugene’s hand tightens on Rapunzel’s protectively; she can see his muscles tensing as he prepares to shield her with his body. “Very well,” says Edmund finally. “I can see that you care for your Sundrop very much, despite all the trouble she’s caused.” He rises, eyes flicking from his son, to Adira, and then to Rapunzel.

“Where are you going?” Adira asks incredulously.

Edmund meets her gaze. “Back to the Dark Kingdom,” he answers. “There is no place for me here. Now are you coming or are you staying?”

Adira locks eyes with Rapunzel, and that sense of understanding returns. It reminds the princess achingly of how she and Cassandra used to communicate silently, and a lick of pain pierces her heart. Sympathy and respect resonate in Adira’s dark eyes, and she flicks her sharp gaze to King Edmund, planting herself at Rapunzel’s side. Edmund’s eyes harden.

“Then you’re all fools,” he says darkly. “The moonstone should have stayed where it was. Now that it’s loose, only the gods can save us now.” Frederic doesn’t even try to argue with the other king. He sighs on his throne, pinching the bridge of his nose as Edmund storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

“I really thought he was going to help us,” says Rapunzel a few seconds after the unnatural silence following Edmund’s departure. “He came to Varian’s cell with us. He talked to him, trying to make him see reason.”

To her surprise, Frederic laughs. “See reason? Edmund can’t even see reason himself, no offense to him. He’s always been a stubborn man, King Edmund. In this situation, he truly believes that there is nothing he can do.”

Adira rolls her eyes. “He also prides himself on always being right,” she chimes in softly, to Rapunzel only. “He’s not gonna help unless we admit he was right all along. Pain in the ass sometimes but he is how he is.”

“So what’s our next move, Dad? What are we going to do about Varian and Cass? I can go searching for them. Me, Adira, Lance and Pascal are more capable than you think out there-”

Frederic holds up a hand. “No, Rapunzel. I’m sorry.”

She blinks. “What? But I can help! I’m not _useless!”_

Eugene wraps an arm around the princess. “King Frederic, if I may-”

Frederic shakes his head. “No you may not interject, Eugene. Rapunzel, you are not to leave this castle until I give you permission. As much as I hate to admit it, Edmund is right. You have done more harm than good here, daughter, and I cannot risk your safety again.” Frederic nods his head, and Stan and Pete approach Rapunzel.

Rapunzel stutters, incredulous, fighting when Stan and Pete grab her arms. “Dad, you can’t do this! It’s Cassandra, she needs me!”

“King Frederic, if you would just listen to her-”

Frederic shakes his head, silencing Adira. “This is necessary. She must not interfere anymore than she already has. Take her to her room.”

“No!” Rapunzel shrieks, grabbing Eugene’s hand. “Eugene!”

Adira unsheathes her sword, preparing to defend the princess, but Eugene stops her with a hand on her arm. Adira turns to him, incredulous. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“You really don’t want to do that,” Eugene says. “She’ll be fine, he’s not going to hurt her. Now come on. Permission to speak, your majesty?”

Frederic rolls his eyes. “Permission granted.”

“Can we accompany Rapunzel? Maybe take her to her room ourselves instead of this dramatic display?”

Adira rolls her eyes. “Like you have any right to talk about dramatics.”

Eugene pointedly ignores her, instead meeting the king’s gaze. “Your majesty?”

Frederic waves his hand. “Fine,” he says, and Eugene can see how much this entire debacle has taken a toll on him. He doesn’t want to lock his daughter away, but he is a father. And fathers look after their children. Eugene tries not to think about the fact that his father just abandoned him _again_ , instead going to a struggling Rapunzel. “Stan, Pete,” Frederic says. “Release her. But walk with Adira and Eugene. Make sure she makes it back to her room.”

Stan and Pete nod, and Eugene takes his place at Rapunzel’s side. The princess glares up at her father furiously.

“I am sorry about this, child, I really am,” says Frederic. “But this has gone too far. It’s time for the adults to get involved.”

“You can’t do this! I’m not a child-”

“Okay, feisty, let’s get you back to your room,” Eugene steers an unusually enraged Rapunzel from the throne room, keeping a steady hand at her back. Gods know she needs some stability right now. Eugene doesn’t know how many more changes Rapunzel can take before she falls apart.

~

Varian struggles to keep up with Cassandra’s long stride. If there was one thing about the dark woman that hasn’t changed, it would be her fast walking pace. At least in Varian’s eyes, Cassandra is and always has been a woman of purpose. It’s oddly comforting to walk behind her, to see her unchanged stride and pretend that he was traveling with the Cassandra he knew instead of the one he feared.

“Nice weather, huh?”

Cassandra turns around, her bright eyes boring into his soul accusingly. She stares at him for a second, then two, and then, surprising Varian with the sheer action, she rolls her eyes. “Gods above, I forgot how annoying you can be.”

Varian sidles up to her. “Is that really the only thing you have to say to me?” He holds his hand to his heart, pretending to be offended. “Cassie, I thought you cared.”

“About the weather?” Cassandra snorts. “Please.”

“Just a conversation starter,” Varian returns calmly. “Besides, I haven’t been outside in almost a year.”

Cassandra eyes him carefully, and then nods. They continue walking in silence.

“So… what exactly are we looking for?”

“Ingredients,” Cassandra answers shortly.

“For…?” Varian presses.

“Creating an army.”

Varian snorts. “Well that’s pretty impossible, Cassandra. You can’t create sentiment beings with alchemy, if that’s what you’re planning.”

“I’m not going to create them,” Cassandra replies. “I’m going to reanimate them.”

A sick, sick burst of nausea comes with both her spoken words and the words that Cassandra implies. Varian doesn’t ask any further questions. For the first time, he doesn’t want to know the answer.


	4. live

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe... I couldn’t resist putting in some alchemy/chemistry in this chapter. Oh geez, I’m just as bad as Varian. 
> 
>  
> 
> Well, enjoy a long ass chapter of our blue team :) (I’m still getting used to writing their characters, so sorry if it’s bad)

“We need to find some supplies,” Cassandra says, walking a little bit in front of Varian. Her black cloak makes her hair stand out in the sunlight, and Varian can see that the strands aren’t entirely black, but a rich dark chocolate. “Can’t exactly travel without a tent.”

“How long exactly are we going to be on the road?” Varian asks, startled by her casual admission.

“Long,” says Cassandra vaguely, and Varian rolls his eyes. She looks back at him, the blue in her eyes obvious in the light. “A month, perhaps.”

“A _month?!”_  Varian cries. “What the hell are you trying to do?”

She glares at him, and usually, Varian would back down, but now, he feels that old fire spark back up again. And it feels _good._ “Leave it alone, Varian.”

He scoffs. “‘Leave it alone?’ Like Rapunzel left my dad alone? Like you all left me? I’m not a pet, Cassandra, I deserve to know what’s going on-”

Cassandra flicks her hand and a rock shoots from the ground catching his shirt and lifting him in the air before he can finish his sentence.

He freezes, suddenly very, very aware how sharp the tip is, and how he can hear the material of his shirt ripping. He really hopes he’s not that far off the ground.

Cassandra stands next to him, fluorescent blue swirling angrily in her eyes. She grasps his chin and forces him to look at her, holding his eyes. “Listen, _kid,”_  she hisses. “We are not friends. No matter what I did to free you, do not mistake me for your friend. You do not talk back to me. You _owe_ me. Understand?”

Varian doesn’t give her the satisfaction of him nodding. He just looks at her, daring her to break her hold on him.

Instead of doing anything further, as he had expected from her, she releases him, and the rock slides back into the Earth at the flick of her wrist. He crumbles to the ground, looking after her in shock as his chest heaves.

“Come on, kid,” she says without turning around. “We’ve gotta go.”

“Where are we going?” he dares ask her, sidling over to her.

She gives him a sideways glance, though Varian can see the amusement in her eyes, as though she secretly admired the fact that he wouldn’t back down. He didn’t want to say it aloud, especially after she had nearly killed him, but it gave him a small spark of hope knowing that there was at least one aspect of Cassandra that hadn’t really changed at all.

~

“You’re learning,” says Cassandra once they get a bit farther down the main road through Old Corona. Luckily, Varian and Cassandra took precautions - Cassandra with a long cloak that helps her blend in, and Varian with a long scarf that he used to drape over his lanky form and his unique hair. She glances at him from her peripheral, a slight quirk to her lips.

“Learning what?” Varian asks grumpily, still mad at her for the situation with the rock.

“How to voice your own opinions,” Cassandra replies.

He looks at her then, wishing that he had a clear view of her face. Varian doesn’t like these disguises much, doesn’t like not seeing Cassandra’s expressions. They’re the only thing that gives him any indication on her mood, her plans, her everything.

“You learn a few things when you spend a year in a jail cell,” says Varian cynically. “Or if you spend your days blindly following your frenemy, even though you have no idea what’s going on in their head.”

Cassandra snorts, of all things.

“Frenemy,” she repeats.

“What’s so funny? It’s a word.”

He sees Cassandra’s smile underneath her cloak and feels an unexpected surge of pride. Varian smirks under the heavy fabric.

“Not to mention my frenemy frequently likes to engage in verbal battles with me. Quite exhausting really.”

Cassandra snorts again. Almost a laugh. He almost got her.

Varian sidles back over to her, trying to read her expression. “So what are we doing in Old Corona?” he asks her. “I mean, I was raised here, I should at least have the right to know this one.”

Cassandra raises an eyebrow. “Your curiosity truly is limitless, huh kid?” she sighs. “Fine. We’re going back to your old place.”

Varian flinches. “Why?”

Cassandra glances at him, alerted by the sudden shift in behavior. Her eyes seem to almost soften in sympathy, and when she catches him looking, she turns away. “Supplies, remember? We’re going to need to get on the road soon.”

Varian slumps. “Ah, right,” he says bitterly. “The long journey we’re about to partake in. To destination nowhere.”

Cassandra gives him a sidelong glance, but she doesn’t say anything about his cynicism. If there’s one thing about this Cassandra that doesn’t rub him the wrong way, it’s the fact that she doesn’t pry.

“Do you really think my dad’s dead?” Varian asks Cassandra softly, despite her stubborn reluctance to talk.

Cassandra sighs heavily. “I don’t know,” she says. “He may as well be. I can’t imagine spending nearly a year trapped in amber and still being alive.”

“Would it be better for him?” Varian continues. “If he had… died, all those months ago in the storm?”

Cassandra bites her lip, revealing her uncertainty. “Yes,” she says softly. “I’d think it would be. Better to have died quickly than…” she trails off, but Varian could tell what she was thinking of saying. Better Quirin died quickly than to still be suffering, alive but unable to move or voice his agony for several months. Varian shudders and looks away.

They make it up the road to Varian’s old house, decrepit looking, fallen apart and completely covered in massive black rocks. Cassandra exhales, casting a look back at Varian. He stopped walking a short while ago, not prepared for the emotional onslaught brought by seeing this place again.

“Come on,” says Cassandra. “We don’t have much time. Someone could recognize us here, and even though I seem like I want to start a war, here’s not the best place or time.”

She waits for him impatiently, although her eyes aren’t as emotionless as they have so often been these days. There’s the barest bit of sympathy there underneath the fluorescent blue, sympathy reminiscent of the old Cassandra, and it’s what keeps him going. The small spark of hope he holds for her. For them both.

He hesitantly follows her in.

~

Cassandra slips seamlessly into what once was Varian’s house, and once he enters after her, he’s struck by how little the place has changed, even after all these months.

His lab is still intact, at least relatively. Varian wanders over to it out of sheer curiosity, saddened by the cleanliness of the table. Once, he’d had multiple inventions in progress, potions that could stop pain, temporarily relieve hunger and cause a chemical imbalance of hormones - similar to the mood-modifying elixir that he had mixed into the cookies oh so long ago. Now the flasks collect dust, empty and sad.

“The Royal Guard ransacked this place as soon as you were taken away,” Cassandra says, bringing him back to the present. She nods her head to the lab table. “They threw away what they could get their hands on, just in case anything like this were to happen.”

Varian snorts. “That was smart of them,” he says. “First time for everything, huh?”

He sees Cassandra bite back a smile.

He forces a smile. “Luckily, I have a hidden stash.”

Cassandra raises an eyebrow as he hastily removes a rotting floorboard underneath him, pulling out a key. He smirks at her, showing off the key in a sarcastic manner, before opening some of the drawers and pulling out some various compounds. Now Varian smiles for real, muttering the labels on the flasks like long lost friends. “Aqua regia, aqua tofani, sal ammoniac-”

“What are you doing?”

Varian stops putting the vials in his pack and looks at Cassandra. He holds up a vial of aloe vera. “Packing some things for the road.”

Cassandra looks at him for all of one second before grabbing a vial from Varian open pack. She holds him back from snatching it away as she reads the label. When she’s done, Cassandra blatantly stares at him, holding the vial of clear liquid gingerly in two fingers.

“Hydrofluoric acid?” she deadpans. “I have no idea what this does, but anything with the word _acid_ in it doesn’t sound like it’s safe.”

Varian gives her a mortified look, attempting fruitlessly to steal the vial of acid back from his infuriating travel companion. “Of course it’s not safe,” he grunts, scrambling to take it from her. Cassandra smartly dodges his desperate advances, smirking. “It can’t even be kept in glass. Hydrofluoric acid melts glass, you see.”

Cassandra rolls her eyes. “Great,” she says sarcastically. “And you’re putting it in a fabric drawstring bag.”

Varian sighs, finally managing to take the vial from her. “Just don’t touch it, okay? I am a professional, leave all the alchemy to me.”

The young alchemist fumbles with the vial of acid, sending it crashing to the floor below. Varian and Cassandra watch as the wood below them starts to dissolve into nothingness, leaving behind a growing hole and some muddy looking residue.

Varian laughs sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as Cassandra gives him her best “really?” look. “Well, might as well stock up on that stuff, huh?”

Cassandra shakes her head, biting her lip as to potentially cover up the beginnings of a smile. “I’ve always wondered why you were considered the most dangerous man in Corona,” she says, a quirk to her lips, and stares at the growing hole in the floor. When she looks back at him, she raises an eyebrow. “I’ll never doubt you again.”

Varian blushes, despite himself. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you just gave me a compliment,” he says cheekily, and Cassandra rolls her eyes.

“Maybe,” she says, and he rummages around in his drawers for another vial of hydrofluoric acid. Cassandra stops him. “That doesn’t mean you should take any more of that stuff out,” she says with an almost uneasy look.

He grins surprisingly easily, bowing with a flourish. “As you wish, milady.”

Cassandra scoffs, heading towards the cabinets. She packs the non perishables in a knapsack before heading for the cold machine Varian had made nearly a year ago.

“If that still works, I’d be surprised,” Varian calls to her. “It’s supposed to keep food cold. Y’know, meats?”

Cassandra opens the top and immediately gags, lurching away from it. She quirks an eyebrow at him. “Nope,” she tells him. “Doesn’t work.”

Varian shrugs, continuing to pack some of his vials into a box for safe keeping. “There should be a tent in my… in my dad’s room,” he says. “We liked to go camping a lot, when I was younger.”

Cassandra sends him a sympathetic look before she heads towards the bedrooms. When she’s gone, Varian takes a bottle of hydrofluoric acid and stuffs it in his knapsack.

“Never can be too careful,” Varian tells Ruddiger, who’s lazily perched on the table, watching his human work from above. “Right now, it’s you and me, buddy. Cass may have freed us, but she’s not our friend. I know that much,” he says softly, eyes locked on the door Cassandra disappeared behind.

~

Once the lab is cleared of useful compounds, Varian dares to venture over to his dad, still encased in amber after all these months. Hesitantly, though he knows that nothing will break through his father’s prison, he places his hand on it, dipping his head.

“I’ll find a way to free you, Dad,” he says softly. “Even if I give up on everything else, I’d never give up on you.”

Quirin says nothing, still holding that unreadable piece of paper up like a proud flag.

“I’ll make you proud.”

A few seconds later, soon enough that Varian suspects she may have been secretly listening, Cassandra exits his father’s old room - no, it’s _still_ his room, Varian reminds himself immediately. Cassandra holds up Quirin’s old tent, smiling just slightly. He brushes past her, much to her surprise, forcing her to catch up to him for a change.

“C’mon. Let’s just get out of here,” Varian mutters on his way out the door. Maybe once this place had been home to him, but Varian has almost never been more eager to step outside into the evening sun. “We’ve got enough, ‘s not like the royal guard took all our food.”

He feels Cassandra’s eyes on him like needles in the back of his head before she sidles up to him, and he meets her eyes again. They walk for a little while, Varian for the first time on this journey, completely silent. Before long, Cassandra stops him with a hand on his shoulder, and turns around silently.

Varian looks to her, confused, but she shakes her head. Then she waves her hand, her eyes glittering softly, and Varian understands.

He watches in amazement as the black rocks covering Old Corona slowly obey Cassandra’s command, sinking back into the earth one by one, and then two by two. People around jump in surprise as the massive spikes that have plagued them for nearly a year rattle the ground with sudden movement, looking around as though they thought they were in some kind of dream.

Lastly, Cassandra waves her hand in the direction of Varian’s house, and the massive rocks recede, leaving it barren and decrepit, but almost completely untouched.

When she’s finished, everything is quiet and blissfully free, uncluttered. Varian turns to Cassandra just as she puts her hand down, a million questions on his lips.

He voices none of them, for Cassandra’s face is once again unreadable, her eyes bright and piercing. Varian wants to be afraid of her, needs to be afraid of her if he ever hopes to be free from her, but he can’t help but respect the gesture. He smiles at her, and it may be his imagination, but he thinks he sees Cassandra soften… just a little bit.

“C’mon kid,” she says gruffly. “We better get out of here.”

He looks back on Old Corona, as unblemished as it had been before his father had ever been trapped, and understands. There are only two people, previously only one person, who are able to manipulate the rocks. And Rapunzel obviously isn’t here.

Varian flinches uneasily. “Yeah, you’re right,” he agrees, and they head into the forest.

~

The first time he doesn’t even hear anything. But he’s not a trained warrior like Cassandra.

She pauses in her purposeful strides, silencing Varian with a hand, permitting him from walking any further. Varian turns to her confused, and she quietly raises a finger to her lips. He gets the memo quickly, tuning his ears to the world around them. For a few seconds, there’s silence and then - there!

A slight rustling in the bushes.

Quick as a whip, Cassandra whirls around on her feet, taking two long strides over to the nearest bush. She sends a swift kick to the bush, and the bush cries out in agony. Varian shrieks as a man falls out of the bush, his piggy eyes fixed on Cassandra.

Cassandra’s piercing eyes narrow.

“You’ve been following us. For a few days now.”

Varian quickly scrambles over to her, placing himself in between Cass and the man. “Cassandra, don’t do anything you’re gonna regr-”

“Stay out of the way, kid,” she pushes him away, and draws her sword faster than he can blink. “Who are you?”

The man raises his chin. “Ain't tellin’ you nothin’, crazy lady,” he spits.

Cassandra looks baffled. She quickly recovers, however, employing her signature rough-and-tough exterior, pressing the sword to the base of his throat. The man winces in pain, and a flash of fear surfaces in his eyes as the sword begins to draw blood. Varian’s eyes widen. “Cassandra-”

She ignores Varian. “Why have you been following us?”

The man opts to play dumb, but Cassandra merely digs the sword deeper into his neck. The man gags and sputters.

“Fine,” he hisses, blood spilling from his mouth and spitting with the angry word. Cassandra releases him, leaving him prostrate on the ground before her. He gives her a glare worthy of death. “Been followin’ ya for awhile. You got some pretty interestin’ magic tricks there, darlin’. Wonder what the king’d have to say about that.”

Cassandra doesn’t waste a moment, slitting his throat before the man can get another word out. Varian screams, despite himself, and Cassandra rushes to him, pressing her hand to his mouth. “Shut up,” she hisses. “He was going to go to the king if I didn’t silence him. You know that.”

He pushes her off of him, unable to come up with a decent argument. “That’s murder,” is all that comes out of his mouth. “You’re… you’re a murderer, Cass.”

She flinches, turning away. “I already told you,” she says softly. “This is a war. I do what I need to do.”

“Oh and stealing the moonstone, that was doing what you needed to do?! How does any of this help us, Cassandra? How?!”

She gives him an exasperated look, but doesn’t answer.

“I’m getting really tired of all the vagueness, Cassandra,” says Varian. “Would you please just tell me what’s going on? Because only a few days ago, I was stuck in a jail cell, left to my own devices, and now I’m here and I have no freaking _clue_ what’s going on.”

Cassandra sighs, pressing her fingers against the bridge of his nose. She stands, and walks back over to the fallen man, raising an eyebrow at Varian.

“Okay, and what’s a dead guy gonna do for us?”

Cassandra’s eyes flick to the man’s face. “You know the legend?” she asks carefully. “Of the sunflower and moonstone?”

Varian nods, not sure he likes the direction this is going.

Cassandra kneels besides the man, her eyes on Varian. “Well, the two are more closely linked than they’ve ever been. Thanks to the fact that the rocks have already been exposed to Rapunzel - the living incarnation of the sun - she has the power to kill anything she touches. Which means-”

“You have the power to revive,” Varian finishes, his eyes snapping to her. “That is, if you really are the living incarnation of the moonstone. Isn’t that supposed to be Rapunzel too?”

“Things have changed since I grabbed the moonstone, Varian,” says Cassandra. “See, the thing is, it was never supposed to be one person. The prophecy tells of a sun entity and a moon entity, never of one.”

“And you think you can…” Varian nods to the man before Cassandra, wincing. “That’s creepy. As well as, completely out of the realm of science, but y’know? I’ve seen some pretty crazy stuff.”

“The powers are connected, Varian,” says Cassandra. “It’s possible.”

Varian looks away.

~

“ _Vivi,_ ” Cassandra says softly, her hands pulsing with a dull blue light.

Varian ends up watching with bated breath as his infuriatingly bipolar companion places her hands on the prone form of a once living being. His stomach turns viciously; everything is telling him that this is unnatural, that this is wrong.

“Cassandra, are you sure-?”

She silences him with a stern hand, her fluorescent eyes boring into his. He shrinks back from her subconsciously, and Cassandra smirks at his submission.

“Cassandra-”

“Shh,” she hisses, her eyes determinedly on the man below her.

He watches the man below her as well, this corpse who had previously been a man, but he also watches Cassandra, her eyes two glowing lanterns in the dark. Nothing moves, everything’s quiet.

The man was still dead.

Varian breathes a sigh of relief.

Cassandra’s shoulders loosen, disappointment and anger lingering in her face. She glares down at the still immobile corpse with death in her eyes. She sighs in defeat, and closes the lifeless eyes of her charge. Cassandra scoffs angrily, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Varian lowers his gaze from Cassandra. He knows what he wants to say, but refrain from speaking. Cassandra is painfully stubborn when she has the motivation, and Varian has taken quick notice that this Cassandra is relentless. She will not yield. Not this time.

“You have something you want to say,” Cassandra’s voice brings him back to her. He looks at her. “You’re not exactly a prisoner anymore, kid.”

Varian swallows uneasily. “It’s not important,” he says, his eyes lingering on the man. He flinches, however, and he knows Cassandra sees.

“You don’t approve.”

He exhales; it escapes his teeth as a hissing breath. “Of course I don’t approve,” he bites out. “In alchemy, death is final.”

“And you think this is unnatural,” Cassandra finishes his thought.

Varian absentmindedly strokes the raccoon lightly dozing in his lap, not looking at the woman sitting across him. Even so, he can see two fluorescent blue spots glinting with the gold of the flames between them.

Cassandra rises to stoke the fire. In the glowing light, Varian sees the truth of her right hand, ungloved, blackened and decaying, as she prods the embers with a stick. She notices him watching, and slips her gloves back on, concealing the mutilation once more.

“How did you get that?” he can’t help but ask.

Cassandra leans back, her eyes on the fire. Varian’s gaze lingers on her gloved hand, knowing the horror that lies underneath the fabric. Cassandra inhales. “It’s a long story.”

“Well we’ve got nothing but time,” says Varian. When Cassandra hesitates, he continues. “You at least owe me that, Cassandra. I blindly followed you, and not out of the goodness of my heart. I think I at least deserve some answers.”

Cassandra doesn’t speak for a few seconds, appearing to contemplate his words. “You’re right,” she says. “I do at least owe you some answers. For following me.”

He waits for her to answer and her lip quirks secretively in reply. Cassandra’s eyes flick back to the fire.

“After you were taken away, the black rocks grew out of control, already exposed to Raps. They created a path, leading somewhere. Only that wasn’t all. They stopped growing completely, stopped reacting to Raps entirely. We followed them all the way to the Dark Kingdom. Me, Rapunzel, Fitzherjerk and Lance Strongbow, an old friend of Eugene’s.”

She continues to tell him about their adventures, and Varian listens as attentive as he can, even though it makes him angry that Cassandra still speaks highly of Rapunzel. At least until one point. Up until Cassandra mentions the strange house they took residence in. Though she tries to hide the change in her voice, Varian catches it easily, taking the piece of information and storing it in his head for later.

After all, he and Cassandra were never truly friends. Not really. She made sure to remind him of that.

He still doesn’t know why she freed him, or why she chose him in particular to accompany her on her own journey. Varian assumes that this - her sudden animosity towards the princess of Corona - is a matter of broken trust, as his had been. He finds himself sympathizing with her once again, much to his surprise.

“We met a woman on our travels,” Cassandra tells him casually, so casually that Varian finds himself hanging onto her words more so than he had been. “She called herself Adira.”

“I met her,” says Varian. “When Rapunzel came to talk to me, she didn’t come alone.”

Cassandra looks surprised. “So Raps has already found my replacement,” she says neutrally. “Can’t say I was expecting it to be Adira, but I guess it’s natural that Raps’d latch onto her.”

Varian nods thoughtfully. “She said she was from somewhere called the Dark Kingdom. That she knew my dad.”

“She told me that too,” says Cassandra, and Varian looks at her, shocked that Adira had mentioned his dad to Cassandra. Cassandra’s looking right back at him. “If he truly is... dead, I’m sorry. Your dad was a good person.”

Varian scowls, angry that she mentioned him. After all, he hasn’t forgotten that she sided with Rapunzel over him. She tried to stop him. “He’s still a good person,” Varian mutters, staring at the flames. “He’s not dead, Cassandra.”

Cassandra huffs and he sees her roll her eyes in his peripheral. “Fine,” she says. “Be stubborn about it all you want, it’s not going to change anything. He needs oxygen to live, Varian.”

“Who says he doesn’t have oxygen?” Varian asks, a dangerous tone to his voice. “We don’t know anything about what he’s trapped in.”

Cassandra says nothing for a little while. Varian doesn’t interrupt her silent contemplation, focused on his innermost thoughts rather than hers. His dad isn’t dead. He can feel it. And even if he was…? Varian can’t finish the thought. He couldn’t be gone. What else did Varian have to live for?

He’s startled out of his morbid thoughts when Cassandra rises, dousing the fire. “What are you doing?!” he cries. “It’s going to get cold out here!”

Cassandra’s eyes glow in the dark. “And it’s getting darker,” she says. “There are bears and wolves in these woods. Maybe even people. C’mon. We’ve gotta camp for the night.”

Varian suddenly becomes very aware of the dead person five feet from him. “Not here!” he hisses. “Are you crazy?! I’m not sleeping near a freaking dead person!”

Even in the growing darkness, Varian sees Cassandra roll her eyes. “Oh please,” she says. “You’re afraid of a corpse?”

“Uh, yes? Not only did you attempt to revive said corpse an hour ago, but you also said there are predators in these woods. What do you think they’re going to say to _that_ just laying there?”

He can’t see her face, but Varian knows somehow that Cassandra has quirked an eyebrow at him. “Huh,” she muses. “You’ve got a point, kid. Okay then,” she stamps out the fire. “Pack up the supplies. I’ll take care of him.”

Varian grimaces, but watches as Cassandra’s silhouette makes its way towards the nameless man. She drapes a blanket over him. A sign of respect.

“You’re putting a blanket over him?” Varian asks. “You just attempted to bring him back from the _dead_ , and you’re worried about respect?”

“It doesn’t matter,” says Cassandra. “They were human beings once. They don’t deserve to have their bodies helpless and rotting out in the open.”

Varian wonders how that’s any different than having their bodies carted around to cater to whatever Cassandra has planned for them, but he decides that baiting Cassandra this late would not only be a waste of time, but a potential death sentence.

“I don’t understand you,” he says instead. “You have weird morals.”

He hears Cassandra snort ahead of him, but she doesn’t reply. That’s fine. He didn’t expect her to, and he would rather walk in silence, too exhausted to engage in another verbal battle with her. With a sigh and one last parting glance to the man, Varian follows Cassandra through the forest.

~

Try as he might, Varian could not get that image out of his head. The face, pale and lifeless. The eyes, cloudy and unseeing. Cassandra, her eyes aglow with dark magic.

_Vivi._

Suddenly the man is in front of her again, and she works over his prone form, her silhouette a darker spot against the already dark sky. Blue shimmers from her fingers, like wisps of smoke in the moonlight, as she runs her hands above the nameless man before her.

_Vivi._

To Varian’s horror, the man twitches slightly, a hoarse groan emitting from his mouth. A wide grin spreads across Cassandra’s face as she watches her creation rise awkwardly, his head bent at an unnatural angle. With a series of cracks, the man rises to his feet like a puppet controlled by strings.

As though just realizing he was there, Cassandra’s head snaps up, blue eyes flick to his, and he’s helpless, motionless. She raises her hand, black as tar, and reaches for him. Her hand radiates powerful energy - he can feel it thrumming from her blackened fingers - and he can see blue light swirling like dead particles around her hand.

_Vivi._

Her eyes glow brightly, too brightly. So very bright.

_Vivi!_

His eyes snap open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vivi: imperative Latin, the command form of live


	5. desperate times

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Rapunzel POV for y’all. Also, I tried to do justice to my favorite of all time, Adira, but she’s proven reaaaaally difficult to write.
> 
> Also, Varian doesn't think things through. 
> 
> Enjoy! :)

It’s ironic how even after all she’s been through, Rapunzel finds herself locked in her room again with nothing to do but twiddle her thumbs and wait for someone to come for her. Being enclosed again - especially when she’s seen all she has - makes her restless, flighty and… trapped. Completely and utterly trapped.

Right now, she doesn’t even have Eugene here, which makes it all so _very_ much worse. It feels as if she’s been reduced to her younger self with no one but Pascal here with her. Now that she’s been used to having _people,_ genuine people around her all the time, she feels their absence like a lost limb.

And she hates it.

Pascal, more adept to her emotions than anyone Rapunzel has ever met, curls up sadly on her shoulder, patting her neck comfortingly.

“It’s okay, Pascal,” Rapunzel tells her oldest friend. “Eugene and Adira should be back soon. They’ll convince Dad to let me do _something._ ”

Pascal croaks softly, narrowing his eyes mischievously, and points his tail towards the window suggestively.

Rapunzel shakes her head. “Pascal, you know what Dad said. I can’t leave the tower without his permission.”

Pascal croaks sadly, and Rapunzel realizes her mistake. _The tower. I really am a prisoner again._

Rapunzel flops back on her bed with a sigh. She shuts her eyes. “This is all my fault,” she whispers. “Maybe it would be better if I just sat this one out…”

Pascal squeaks in surprise; he starts worriedly prodding her face with his head. Rapunzel shakes her head slowly.

“It _is_ ,” she props herself on her arm, telling the chameleon, who croaks indignantly at the miserable thought. “If I had only listened to her… I could have stopped all of this.”

Pascal croaks softy, reacting to her emotions. Rapunzel sighs.

“What do I _do_ , Pascal?” she asks him. “Where do I go from here? Dad’s gonna send the guards out for Cass and what are they gonna do to her once they find her? She’s hurt, and confused…

“And Varian. Gods, that poor kid. He didn’t deserve any of what happened to him, he always had the best intentions. I wonder what he’s doing now. Is he with Cass? Is he on his own? Ugh, it’s so painful to just sit here, Pascal. I need to be out there, but I just can’t. I can’t just run headlong into things anymore. I’m going to be _queen_ one day, and I need to think things through.”

“You’re learning. Good.”

Rapunzel sits up at the voice, snapping her head towards the sound. She relaxes when she sees Adira leaning casually on the wall, a piece of toast in her hand. “Adira,” Rapunzel laughs. “Hey. I didn’t see you there.”

Adira smiles. “I’ve had practice,” she says nonchalantly, ripping a piece of her toast and offering it to Rapunzel. The princess shakes her head, and Adira shrugs before popping it in her mouth. “You’re gonna need to eat something, Princess,” she says, looking concerned. “You’re not gonna be much use to your people if you starve yourself.”

“I’m not starving myself,” Rapunzel says. “And I’m not gonna be much use to my people if I’m cooped up in here either.”

“Good point,” Adira replies, shutting the door behind her on her way in. “But your dad also has a good point. He’s protecting you, as he should. You are the sundrop after all.”

The older woman sits on the bed besides Rapunzel, somehow positioned so that she’s relaxed and alert at the same time, in case something were to happen. Rapunzel doesn’t feel like telling her that no one would dare hurt her here, knowing the knight would probably not understand. After all, Corona is no Dark Kingdom, and the people here respect her family. Maybe they didn’t in the Dark Kingdom. Rapunzel doesn’t know.

“And the fragile sundrop needs to be protected,” Rapunzel says in uncharacteristic bitterness. “Like I can’t take care of myself.”

“You can take care of yourself just fine,” Adira promises. “Better than I would have expected for someone who spent all their life locked away in a tower. Sorry about that, by the way,” she says upon seeing Rapunzel’s expression.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Rapunzel says. “It’s not your fault that Dad locked me in here either, just so you know.”

“Oh, I know,” says Adira nonchalantly. “Believe me, I tried to reason with him as best I could, but your dad’s not budging on the subject. Maybe Fish-skin - er… Prince Eugene - will have better luck, but I seriously doubt it. Tough man, your father. I bet he makes a good king.”

“A good king who locks his daughter up when she’s perfectly capable of helping,” says Rapunzel bitterly.

“Hey kid,” Adira hesitantly places a hand on Rapunzel’s shoulder, and Rapunzel smiles at the gesture, knowing Adira’s feelings on physical contact. “You have good intentions, which is more than I can say for most people, but sometimes the best thing you can do as queen is to step back a little.”

Rapunzel sighs. “I never wanted to be queen.”

“Sure, but hardly anyone with a moral compass ever does.”

“And I never wanted to be the sundrop.”

Adira makes a face. “Can’t say anything about that, but judging by what you’ve been through these past few years, it’s definitely no picnic.”

Rapunzel huffs. “Tell me about it.”

Adira laughs, and Rapunzel can almost pretend that this is normal. Laughing with a friend of hers while the world around her erupts into chaos. But that makes her think of Cassandra, and thinking of Cassandra brings back the seriousness of the situation. Rapunzel misses her. She misses her best friend.

Adira opens her mouth to say something else when a knock sounds at Rapunzel’s door.

Adira shoots Rapunzel a glance, and the princess nods at her, permitting her to open the door.

“Hey Blondie?” Eugene’s voice is muffled on the other end of the door. “Can you tell Stan and Pete that technically I’m a prince and that I kinda want to talk to my princess? Please?” And then a sputtering, “It’s true! I _am_ a prince. Prince of the Dark Kingdom. Now let me in, I want to see my girlfriend!”

Adira looks to Rapunzel again, a deadpan expression on her face, and Rapunzel can’t help but smile at the ridiculousness of the situation. “Let him in, guys!” she calls out.

“Your father said no visitors,” Stan’s voice says. “Sorry, Princess but I can’t let him in.”

Rapunzel loses her already fragile patience in one fell swoop. “Well Adira’s already in here,” she snaps. “I don’t know how she got in here, but I for one am _happy_ she’s here. I won’t ask again. Let. Eugene. In.”

Silence, and then Eugene’s face pokes in. Rapunzel feels comforted upon seeing him - he is a balm to all her problems, a constant that she knows she can’t live without. “Blondie, this is ridiculous,” deadpans Eugene. “You got a whole slew of guards outside your door in case you try to escape. Which, granted, is something you’d do, but still. Excessive much?”

Rapunzel gives a small sob and rushes into his open arms, which tighten securely around her. She presses her face into his chest, savoring his closeness and the sound of his steady heartbeat. “Oh, Eugene! What am I going to do? Cass and Varian are out there somewhere and I can’t do anything stuck in here!”

Eugene runs soothing fingers through her hair, placing his chin on her head, securing her in his protective hold. “It’s gonna be okay, Rapunzel,” he says softly, kissing her forehead and meeting her tear-ridden eyes. “We’ve been through worse, haven’t we?”

Rapunzel smiles at his optimism, which he only really employs when she needs it. She shakes her head, however, disagreeing with him. What could be worse than losing your best friend to her own ambition right after she had lost Varian’s trust? “I don’t think so, Eugene,” she says. “I really messed up this time.”

“Oh Rapunzel,” Eugene sighs against her. “I’m sorry.”

She says nothing, choosing to simply disappear into her love’s embrace.

“So, what then?” Eugene says. “You devised a plan to sneak out of here or what?”

Adira snorts. “I don’t think so Fish-Skin,” she says. “Rapunzel needs to stay here this time. At least for now.”

Eugene glares at her, shifting Rapunzel so she’s slightly behind him. Rapunzel looks up at him worriedly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Okay, miss A-dear-a,” Eugene says. “One, I’m your prince. I don’t think Edmund would react well to you calling his son ‘ _Fish-Skin’_  for the rest of his life. Two, nicknames are my thing. And three, I’m breaking her out with or without your help. She’s been locked in a tower all her life, you think she wants to be here?”

Adira rolls her eyes. “One,” she says. “You’re a prince, sure but I don’t serve Edmund anymore. The moonstone’s already been stolen so there’s not much use protecting it when there’s nothing there to protect. Two, I’ve been giving nicknames long before you were even born, so don’t even try that with me. And three, Rapunzel needs to stay here. Does she need to be locked in her room? No. But King Frederic’s right. If it comes down to protecting Rapunzel or stopping Short-Hair on our own, protecting Raps is the best option.”

Eugene makes a face. “And who gave you the authority to decide what Rapunzel does and doesn’t do? You’re not her mom.”

“No, but I am one of the only friends she has left,” says Adira, and Rapunzel flinches. “I also happen to have some experience with wars, which I’m pretty sure is gonna come of this situation.”

Eugene rolls his eyes. “Oh come on. You think Cass- _an_ -dra’s gonna destroy the world? Full offense to Madame Ice Demon, she’s not that good at planning. Blindly stabbing things and running headlong into situations is how Cass rolls. She doesn’t have much of a chance against all of Corona and Rapunzel, moonstone or not.”

“She has Quirin’s son with her,” Adira says. “He could be a valuable ally if Cassandra plays her cards right.”

“If she plays her cards right,” Eugene says bitterly. “And you think Cass will play those cards right?”

“You underestimate her,” says Adira. “And the boy. I’m counting on this blowing up in all our faces because it’s better to be prepared for the worst possible scenario than thinking optimistically. You’re going off of speculation.”

“And the fact that I know Cass,” Eugene counters.

“Oh yes, because you know her so well,” deadpans Adira, her eyes narrow. “Did you know she was going to grab the most powerful object in the known universe, genius?”

“Hey, I’m your prince!”

“And I’m all you two have,” Adira replies. “Use me wisely.”

Rapunzel taps Eugene on the shoulder, bringing his attention back to her. “She’s right, Eugene. Adira’s the best chance we have. She knows how the moonstone works, and she’s had more experience than both of us combined. I say we listen to her.”

Eugene stares at her. “You’re agreeing with her?! What happened to dealing with things the way you want to deal with them, Blondie? Don’t you want to help Cass?”

“Of course I want to help Cass,” Rapunzel sighs. “But my dad’s right. I’ve done more harm than good. I’ll… I’ll be more useful here. I can help from the sidelines.”

Adira raises an eyebrow at Eugene, who sticks his tongue out at her. The prince turns back to Rapunzel. “Blondie, are you sure? This isn’t how I expected you to react to this. Sitting on the sidelines? You? How are you going to accomplish anything shut up in this castle?”

Rapunzel pats his chest. “You forget that I’m still a princess. I have some power here. More than I would if I were to go outside Corona.”

Eugene rolls his eyes. “Fine. If you want to go about this responsibly, which I personally think is boring, I won’t stop you. But don’t you think you should at least do something? I mean, it is Cass after all.”

“If you want to make yourself useful, you can always scope out the scene yourself,” Adira pipes up. “There’s nothing preventing you from leaving.”

Eugene considers. “Actually, tall person, that’s not too bad a plan.”

Rapunzel shakes her head. “No. I can’t have you out there chasing Cass alone! What if you get hurt? I’d be stuck here unable to get to you in time!”

“It’s okay, Blondie,” Eugene assures her. “I can handle Cassandra. Besides, if I take Lance with me, we’re good as gold!”

Rapunzel exchanges a look with Adira, her gaze pleading. Adira rolls her eyes, as impartial as everyone else to Rapunzel’s puppy dog eyes. “I’ll go with you two,” she says. “Someone needs to keep you guys from accidentally running into a tree or something.”

Eugene scoffs dramatically. “Adira, your undying faith in me truly astounds me. But Lance and I have traveled together for years. We know each other like the back of each other’s hands. What makes you think you’d be a good addition to our group?”

Adira raises an eyebrow. “This isn’t some acapella group audition. This is a matter of life and death. And if Rapunzel tells me to go with you, I’m going.”

Rapunzel hesitates. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Adira.”

“I want to protect you. You’re a good person and believe it or not, I don’t want to see you suffer anymore. I also don’t get what you see in this guy, but if keeping him alive is what you want, then I’d gladly protect him too.”

Rapunzel sighs in relief. She has to admit, even though Adira’s not great at social interactions, the woman knows her way around. If there was anyone she’d trust with Eugene’s life right now, it would be Adira. There’s no one else anyways, and Adira is the most skilled fighter Rapunzel has ever met. “Adira, go with Eugene,” she decides, cutting Eugene off before he can protest. “Take Lance and Max with you.”

“Blondie, this is insane!”

“Of course this is insane,” says Rapunzel. “But we crossed the threshold of normal when my hair magically grew back. I’m not stuck in the tower anymore, and I’m not as helpless as I once was. I have a responsibility to my people, and desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“Rapunzel, how do we even know we can trust Adira?”

Rapunzel and Adira exchange a glance. Adira nods at Rapunzel, encouraging her. “We don’t,” Rapunzel replies. “But she’s the best hope we have. If you, Lance and Adira go out to scope the scene, at least I’ll have some inside information that we could use to our advantage.”

“Smart,” Adira approves. “Now you’re thinking like a queen.”

Rapunzel nods, though her heart’s telling her to drop everything in order to find Cassandra and drag her back to Corona herself, she pushes down her feelings for the first time, knowing that if she’s going to be of any help, then she’s going to need to use her head. “If you guys run into any trouble, don’t hesitate to run. I need you guys more than you’ll ever know. And Adira?”

The older woman meets her gaze.

“If you try anything, I won’t hesitate. I’ll send you right back to the Dark Kingdom.”

Adira smiles, as though the strange woman approves of her threat. She nods. “I won’t let you down, your highness. I know which side I’m on.”

Rapunzel nods, exhaling slowly. She runs a hand through her hair, and Eugene squeezes her comfortingly. She removes herself from his embrace, poking his chest. “You better come back,” she tells him. “I can’t do this without you.”

Eugene grins, giving her a mock salute. “Aye aye, your royal blondiness,” he says. “I fully intend on returning to you, milady, all limbs intact.”

Rapunzel presses her lips to his, desperately, seeking comfort, and Eugene’s arms snake protectively around her in return. Rapunzel savors his closeness as long as she can without making this awkward for Adira, needing to hear his heartbeat beating strong and sure in his chest. She remembers when once, she hadn’t heard it at all, and that only makes the need stronger. She and Eugene are a package deal, partners in crime. He is her rock, her confidante and the one person who understands her better than anyone else.

He returns the kiss gently, as if he fears she’s going to break under her touch and Rapunzel only deepens it, trying to show him that she’s not a fragile little flower. She can handle anything, and she would damn well remind him of that.

Eugene hesitantly releases her, pressing a small kiss to her forehead. Rapunzel pulls him into a desperately tight embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. “Come back to me,” she whispers. “I still need you. More than you’ll ever know.”

He kisses her cheek. “And I love you,” he replies. “More than you’ll ever know.”

“You’ll protect them?” Rapunzel turns to Adira.

“With my life, Princess.”

Rapunzel nods. “Good,” she softens. “Thank you.”

“Don’t worry, Blondie!” Eugene calls over his shoulder, Adira in tow. “We’ll bring Dragon Lady back to the land of reason, I promise.”

“And I’ll be there to bring you back alive,” Adira counters, winking at Rapunzel before closing the door.

“Hey!” she hears Eugene exclaim behind the door. “I can take care of myself, thank you very much. Lance on the other hand…”

Rapunzel smiles. Maybe she had made the right decision for once. She really hopes that she did. Because Cass and Eugene’s safety rests on her shoulders, despite the fact that Cassandra doesn’t want her help. Rapunzel had taken a gamble, trusting Adira with something like this, but she really had no other choice.

She just hopes that this doesn’t blow up in her face like her last few plans had.

~

Vivi.

_Suddenly the man is in front of Cassandra again, and she works over his prone form, her silhouette a darker spot against the already dark sky. Blue shimmers from her fingers, like wisps of smoke in the moonlight, as she runs her hands above the nameless man before her._

Vivi.

_To Varian’s horror, the man twitches slightly, a hoarse groan emitting from his mouth. A wide grin spreads across Cassandra’s face as she watches her creation rise awkwardly, his head bent at an unnatural angle. With a series of cracks, the man rises to his feet like a puppet controlled by strings._

_As though just realizing he was there, Cassandra’s head snaps up, blue eyes flick to his, and he’s helpless, motionless. She raises her hand, black as tar, and reaches for him. Her hand radiates powerful energy - he can feel it thrumming from her blackened fingers - and he can see blue light swirling like dead particles around her hand._

Vivi.

_Her eyes glow brightly, too brightly. So very bright._

Vivi!

His eyes snap open.

Varian’s met with a furry face, a pair of concerned eyes, and a wet nose prodding urgently against his cheek. He cries out on impulse, but Ruddiger presses his little hands on Varian’s mouth, keeping the sound muffled.

Varian and Ruddiger look at each other for a little while longer, before the raccoon slowly backs off of him, padding back onto the ground. Ruddiger eyes Varian worriedly as he curls up against his side, and Varian sends a fearful glance to Cassandra, sleeping not five feet from him.

A year has passed since he had met her, and despite what they’ve gone through, despite what he said to her and what side she chose, despite whatever she is now, Cassandra is still the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.

But he doesn’t know who she is anymore. Not really.

He gazes at her a moment longer, thinking of the person she had been before, thinking of the people they both had been before… all this. Cassandra sighs in her sleep, a soft smile lazily gracing her lips. A stray curl has fallen into her face at some point in the night, veiling her from him. He flinches, remembering his nightmare.

_The nameless man. Dead._

He shudders, and emboldened by fear, he gently nudges Ruddiger awake. The raccoon blinks at him sleepily, rubbing his eyes with tiny paws. Varian nods to Cassandra, and then to the knapsack in the corner of the tent.

The raccoon sends Varian a look before complying, quietly crawling over Varian and taking the knapsack in his mouth.

Varian rubs the raccoon’s head happily, inwardly praising Ruddiger’s loyalty and friendship. He slides out of his blankets as quietly as he can, looking over at the sleeping Cassandra before stuffing them into the knapsack along with the other supplies he had gathered from his house.

His hand momentarily hovers over the bottle of hydrofluoric acid. He clenches it into a tight fist and shakes his head, moving it away.

No. It doesn’t matter what Cassandra did. It doesn’t matter what she could do. It didn’t matter that she was something else entirely now. He would never do that to her.

He swings the pack over his back, and motions for Ruddiger to hop on. The raccoon hesitates, momentarily eyeing Cassandra before his accusing glare turns to Varian.

Varian rolls his eyes. He points to his shoulder.

Ruddiger narrows his eyes, but regretfully climbs to his spot on his human’s shoulder, setting his head down with a huff. Varian sighs quietly before heading off into the clear cool night.

~

“Okay, Ruddy, the question is where do we go from here?” Varian says once they’re far enough away from the campsite.

The raccoon sticks his tongue out, apparently still mad at Varian for abandoning Cassandra.

“Oh come on, you know it had to happen at some point.”

Ruddiger just stares at him, not making a sound.

“Cassandra can handle herself. She doesn’t need a sixteen year old kid watching her back. Even if said sixteen year old kid has a knapsack of deadly chemical compounds,” he adds as an afterthought.

Varian’s pack bounces on his back as he and Ruddiger move through the forest. He knows that he and Cassandra hadn’t made it that far out of Old Corona. Maybe if he makes it back, then he’d be able to navigate his way to safety.

“This is harder than I thought it would be,” Varian admits as he blindly traverses his way through the dark. “Think I should stop for a little while?”

If he were capable, Varian was sure the raccoon would have quirked an eyebrow at him. He chitters in agreement, and Varian sets down his pack, starting to rummage through it.

“Okay, now where are those fluorescent compounds?” Varian stares at his companion when the raccoon does nothing to help him. “Can you find me a stick, bud? You know, like I had before?”

Ruddiger sighs and pads off in a different direction.

“Get a big one, okay? Thanks, buddy!”

Ruddiger makes a noise that sounds a bit like a snort before his tail disappears into the bushes, out of view. Satisfied with the progress he’s making, Varian pulls out a few vials with colorful liquid, and holds them up to his eyes, attempting to see them in the dark.

“Well Varian, guess you’re on your own again,” he talks to himself, not liking the quiet that takes over the forest at night. He seriously hopes Cassandra’s still sleeping. He doesn’t even want to know what she’ll do to him if she finds him out here. “C’mon, you stupid thing. Work,” he flicks the bottom of one of the vials, trying to kick start the chemical reaction.

Varian almost laughs out loud when he sees a small swirling of light. Yes! It still worked!

“Okay, cool, cool,” he mutters to himself, shaking the vial to get produce more light. It isn’t as prominent as his original fluorescent compounds, but Varian attributes that to being unused for a near year. He moves onto the next vial, flicking it in the exact same manner, and then does the same to the next. They’re dull, but they’ll do for now, Varian thinks.

Just then, Ruddiger comes back with a large stick in his mouth. Varian takes it from him gratefully. “Thanks, Ruddiger!” Ruddiger huffs, taking a seat on the ground. He watches Varian work, wrapping the glowing vials on the stick. “Just like old times, eh buddy?”

Ruddiger tiredly chitters his few cents, resting his head on his paws.

“Ruddy, we can’t stay here. We have to keep moving until we reach Old Corona.”

Ruddiger disagrees, and Varian scoops him up, placing him back on his shoulders.

“I already told you, Cassandra’s fine. I’m looking out for you and me here, buddy. Cassandra wouldn’t have looked out for us. Or at least she would have until we stopped being useful to her,” he says glumly. He had seen the smallest spark of humanity in her, but he didn’t know just how far that stupid rock had taken her over the deep end. To be honest, he didn’t particularly want to know.

He couldn’t worry about Cassandra anymore. He didn’t have the time to look out for anyone but himself right now.

Unfortunately, Varian is just starting to realize that he’s pretty much lost. He turns to Ruddiger for help, but the raccoon is lazily perched on his shoulders, dozing off. Varian sighs and keeps walking, hoping that he’s headed in the right direction. Wow, he really didn’t think this through.

Eventually, after walking for maybe an hour or two - he can’t exactly tell, as the darkness is all the same and the trees all look equally hostile - Varian decides that he’s put enough distance between himself and Cassandra. He takes a seat by a tree and starts chewing thoughtfully on one of the packaged bars Cassandra had grabbed.

“Living in the wild is hard, buddy,” Varian tells his sleeping friend. “How’d you do it for so long?” The boy takes another bite of the packaged bar, wincing at the odd flavor before gingerly placing it back in his knapsack, conveniently away from his stash of compounds. At least it beats whatever they served him in the dungeons.

He takes out one of his old blankets, which still smells a bit like his house, curls up against the tree and falls asleep.


	6. desperate measures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is changing to Mature. Because I am the worst and I like making characters suffer >:)
> 
>  
> 
> I have to admit though, this chapter tugs at my heartstrings. It was hard to write for obvious reasons. Enjoy! (if you can call it that)

Varian wakes up to a dagger to his throat, and yelps, nearly jolting upwards in fear.

“Careful, young lad,” says a man Varian’s never seen before. “Don’t want you accidentally slitting your own throat before you tell us what a kid like you’s doing out here in the middle of nowhere.”

Varian raises his hands in surrender, his heart pounding in his chest. “Whoa, whoa guys…” he chuckles nervously. “Let’s not do anything rash, okay? No need to stab anything that doesn’t need to be stabbed.”

The man holding the dagger to Varian’s throat bursts out laughing. The others behind him - Varian counts around six, four men and two women - laugh along with him. “Looks like we got ourselves a funny guy,” the man says, grinning at Varian with his tiny yellowed teeth.

Varian looks desperately around for Ruddiger, but the raccoon’s nowhere to be found. A sudden burst of hurt lances through his chest at the thought that his only friend could have abandoned him, but then he catches sight the small cage behind one of the women, and sees Ruddiger looking fearfully back at him. “Okay,” Varian chuckles nervously again. “Look, I don’t want any trouble-“

“Too bad,” the leader says silkily. “Because I rather like trouble.”

He levels the blade to the base of Varian’s throat, and the boy nearly whimpers at the sharp pain he feels as the point begins to pierce the first layer of soft skin there.

“Now what’s your name?”

“Jonah,” he says quickly.

He’s met with a sharp slap to the face, one that whips his head to the side and stings long after it’s over. “Now as much as I’d like to think you’re telling the truth, we both know that’s a lie, don’t we pretty boy? So try again.”

Varian’s heart is racing, his vision blurring with panic. Another hard slap yanks him quickly back into reality.

“I’m waiting,” the leader drawls sadistically. “And I’m not known for being patient. What is your name?”

Varian gasps for breath. “Varian! My… my name is Varian.”

“Good,” the man nods, patting his head. “Much better. Where are you from, Varian?”

“The Dark Kingdom.”

 _Slap!_ Pain. A startling pain.

“Dos Equus!”

_Slap!_

“O-Old Corona!” Varian gasps, and the man lowers his hand. “Please…”

“You’re scrawny for a kid from Corona,” the leader observes. “What’s a kid like you doing out in the wilderness all alone, huh?”

Varian opens his mouth to answer, but hesitates. He winces just as the man’s hand starts to swing towards him again, but freezes when he hears another voice interrupt. “Jax, we should go. We’re wasting time here with this kid.”

The leader - Jax - turns to look at the woman who had spoken. He scowls. “Fine.”

Varian breathes a sigh of relief. And then Jax says, “Grab the kid and that animal. We’re taking them with us.”

“No, no, wait!” Varian cries as he’s brought swiftly to his feet. “You don’t have to do this-”

Jax raises an eyebrow, a terrifying grin on his face, and nods to the big man besides him. “Andres.”

Varian scrambles backwards as the largest man stalks towards him with murder in his eyes and a bat in his right hand. Varian’s eyes widen as the man swings the bat deftly into the side of his head.

There’s pain, so much pain, a sharp throbbing pain that blurs his vision. Varian thinks he feels a wet patch of warmth where the bat made contact, and vaguely realizes that he’s _bleeding_ from the side of his head.

He gasps for breath, his fingers twitching as his body slips into survival mode. Then, everything fades to black.

~

Cassandra opens her eyes immediately knowing that something was wrong. She’s still getting used to that odd premonition, the enhanced, almost psychic senses that course through her along with the power she stole.

She snaps her head to where Varian had been, and swears under her breath.

That kid. That goddamn kid.

She never pegged Varian for a risk taker, always thinking he’d choose to employ delicate plans before rushing headlong into things like Rapunzel, like _her_ , but perhaps life in prison has made him desperate. Cass knows she had been vague with him, keeping him intentionally in the dark, but she had always thought that Varian was smart enough to stay with her. After all, she had freed him for a reason, and she would never dream of harming him.

He had betrayed her, once upon a time, and Cass was never one to forgive or to forget, but they needed each other if they were to survive out here. And he was necessary. She needed him alive.

 _He’s innocent,_ she thinks to herself. _If he’s been caught, then he’s dead._

Cass swears again and swings her legs out of her bedroll, donning her cloak before stepping out into the cool dewy day.

~

Varian comes to in a different place, waking to the sound of rolling wheels and hooves pounding on the ground. The first thing he gathers besides the things he vaguely hears is the fact that his head hurts like a bitch, pounding with each rough step the horses take outside.

“Ngggh,” he moans, reaching his hand out blindly, experimentally. The floor beneath him is wood, warn and rough against his skin, and Varian fights to open his eyes, wincing at the throbbing pain in his head. “Ruddy?” he slurs. “Ruddiger?”

Something prods him sharply in the side and Varian jolts upwards, scrambling backwards while others laugh at him, their voices pounding into his head. He looks at them with wild eyes as they watch him, as if to see what he’s going to do.

Varian isn’t sure how to act. He’s terrified and they all know it, but if there’s anything he’s learned from Cassandra, even in the short time he’s spent with her, it’s that emotions are a weakness.

The leader eyes him animalistically, sitting contentedly on a crate. “You tryna act tough, kid?” he chuckles. “I’m not stupid, I know who you are. Varian of Old Corona. Son of Quirin from the Dark Kingdom. You’re quite the prize aren’t you, kid? King’ll be happy to see you, ‘specially since you recently broke out of jail.”

Varian hesitates. If he goes back then he’s doomed. No matter how merciful the king is known to be, if he finds him again, he’d be hanged for sure. But if he runs, even if he successfully escapes, he’d be alone once more, and he doesn’t have the slightest idea how to survive out here. He’s not exactly trained, just a boy with a talent for alchemy. He decides to stay quiet, averting his gaze from the other man.

One of the women doesn’t seem to like this. She snarls at the slight act of defiance, and starts towards again, her mouth twisted. Jax places a hand on her. “Now, now, Reagan,” he holds the wild looking woman back. “No need to harass the boy.”

Varian doesn’t buy the man’s tone, seeing the truth in his eyes as his father once told him. Jax doesn’t care about him. He doesn’t even care about her. Varian is nothing to him but the promise of a bag of gold and currently, a sack of meat to torture. The thought makes Varian cringe.

Jax turns his piercingly emotionless eyes back to Varian. “You’re not gonna give us trouble, right kid? Don’t want that Black Hand to find us.”

Varian tenses at the mention of Cassandra - he has to be talking about Cassandra, right? - and the wild woman notices. She sneers at him with crooked teeth bared. “You know the whore?” she asks him. “Bitch who stole the moonstone?”

Jax rolls his eyes. “The moonstone is a myth, Reagan,” he says tiredly, as though he had heard this many times before. “As is the sundrop.”

Reagan looks at her leader, true fear in her eyes. Varian doesn’t know what this woman’s been through, but he’s frightened by her fear. What does she know? What has she seen? “You’re a fool,” she snaps, and then turns to Varian. “You boy,” Reagan addresses him with a snarl. “What do you know of this here ‘Black Hand?’”

“You don’ get to question ‘im!” Jax leaps up from his chair, circling the woman like a predator would its prey. “He’s mine. I found ‘im first.”

“He knows somethin’!” The wild woman sneers. “I don’ wanna get involved in anythin’ involvin’ magic, Jaxton!”

“Why d’you wanna question ‘im then?” Jaxton retorts furiously. “Magic’s rare. No way he knows anything besides the old legends.”

Varian doesn’t know what it is, whether it be pride or a subconscious desire for retribution, but he doesn’t plan on telling these fools anything he learned about the moonstone, or its recent host. It’s an odd sense that strengthens him: anger instead of shyness. And it spurs him on.

“I don’t know anything about the Black Hand,” he coughs. “Please, just-”

_Slap!_

Varian sobs in pain, scrambling backwards from the crazed man. It’s then that he realizes that he’s chained to the floor. Like a dog.

Anger quickly replaces the fear. It sears like molten fire at the pit of his stomach, wild and hungry. “Let me go!” he roars.

_Slap!_

Amidst the concerning pounding in his head, Varian thinks he hears Ruddiger chittering furiously, and it makes him stronger. He fights again. “Let me go! Let me go!” he screams, his narrowed and hateful eyes locked on the group of smugglers before him. They watch him as though he’s a particularly interesting specimen.

Jax watches Varian for a moment, absolutely nothing in those blue eyes. Then he turns to his allies. “Leave us,” he commands.

The wild woman, Reagan, steps towards the leader, outraged. “We aren’ gon’ get the gold if he’s dead, Jaxton,” Reagan snaps in defiance. Varian hisses in fear. Were they going to kill him? It’d be better than torture, which was what Varian feared the most from this group. Their leader was a madman. There was nothing in his eyes.

Jax apparently has the same thought, but the boy doesn’t trust the scavenger leader in the slightest, much less the hungry look he regards Varian with.

The boy stares at him, his fear overcoming the desire to conceal his emotions. The man stares right back at Varian. “Who said anything about dyin’?” Jax grins at Varian, who tries fruitlessly to slink away from him, his heavy breathing mirroring the panic brewing inside.

“Please,” he whispers to Reagan, who regards him distrustfully. “Don’t let him do this to me-”

Jax slaps him across the face. Hard.

Varian cries out in shock and pain. “Please!” he shouts to Reagan, who flinches. “Let me go!”

“Leave ‘im alone, Jax,” Reagan snaps. “He’s a kid.”

Jax grabs the wild woman by her hair and throws her before him. “A magic kid, if I seem to remember you tellin’ me,” Jax snarls. “I don’ like magic. But I don’ like disloyalty more. And I _hate_ weakness.”

Reagan screams and flails in outrage, but the larger man holds her steady. As swift as lightning, Jax unsheathes a dagger and slices it across the soft flesh of the wild woman’s neck.

Varian screams as she drops to the ground, that fear squirming in her eyes as she brings her hands to her throat, almost as if she didn’t believe her leader could have done something so terrible. Her eyes flick to Varian, who reaches for her, wishing there was some way to stop her suffering.

But she falls, lifeless in the next second, and all his searching hand finds is a growing puddle of the wild woman’s blood around her head. He cringes away from it, his hand shaking, and panics, drawing back to his little corner.

Jax reaches him in two strides, kicking him harshly in the side. Varian screams in agony, fighting the man’s hand as it finds its way under his chin, forcing him to look at the psychopath’s empty blue eyes.

Jax grins, laughing madly. “No one ‘ere’s gonna help you, kid. They try and I’ll jus’ kill ‘em.”

 _I’m not a toy!_ Varian wants to scream. _You can’t do this to me, I’m a human being!_

Jax tilts his head in mock curiosity. “Oh? You got somethin’ to say? Got somethin’ you wanna share with the class?”

Varian snarls at him, his long hair surrounding him making him look wild - like _them._ He spits. “Fuck you.”

Jax doesn’t seem to like this, nor did Varian expect him to. But he’s never thought that it would come as a relief to feel that darkness creeping in again when the leader slams his head against the wall, and he falls to the ground in blissful unconsciousness.

~

Cassandra has to admit, she didn’t entirely have a plan when she left her campsite off in search of the boy. As irritating as he was, and as much as he never stopped talking, he had begun to grow on her. She liked his presence, calming and reassuring, as it tamed her inner fire.

There’s nothing taming that fire now. No, not as she scours the forest for him, relying on her training and her newfound psychic senses to track him down.

_But where?_

Cass knows that he couldn’t have gotten far, and she’s sure that even if he was still out here running, that she’d be able to spot him.

She tracks his footsteps in the mud, his and the raccoon’s for what feels like hours, eventually reaching a large tree. This is where his footprints stop, and so she stops as well.

Cass’s gaze sweeps the trees surrounding her, looking for a head of black hair or a pair of blue eyes watching her from the bushes.

“Varian!” she hisses, looking around. “Varian!”

No response.

She decides to take a different approach, letting him know that she doesn’t mean to hurt him. Cass removes her sword from her sheath and drops it purposefully to the ground. “Kid, I’m not gonna hurt you,” she says, her ear keening for a response.

She receives none, and her heart sinks. He’s not here. It’s then that she notices the faint smear of something crimson on the bark of the tree. Cass moves towards it, brushing her blackened hand over it. The feeling sparks a sense of familiarity, and she curses under her breath. _Varian._

This damn kid.

Then she notices something behind the tree. A clearing. No. A road.

He’ll be on that road, Cass thinks. And she’s going to follow him, wherever the kid went.

Based on the blood, Cass is starting to come to the conclusion that it wasn’t of his own volition, and a wave of dread washes over her.

Unable and unwilling to do anything else until she’s found Varian, Cass picks up her sword and lets out a sharp whistle, hoping the sound would reach an old friend of hers. She slides the sword back in her sheath and starts walking in the direction of fresh horse prints.

~

Varian once again awakes to a pounding head and a sinister presence in his immediate surroundings. He groans and forces himself into a sitting position, despite the tired and shakiness in his arms.

“Good,” a familiar voice says. “You’re awake. I was just getting bored.”

Varian spits on the ground, shuddering when he tastes blood. “What do you want?”

“Me? Nothing with you. I got no issues with you, boy.”

Varian gives him his most spiteful glare. “Then why?” he spits, tasting copper once again. He wonders how he looks right now.

Was he beyond recognition? He doesn’t know exactly how long he’s been on the road, but often, Jax sits with him - slices him up for fun - while Varian squirms, hatred roiling in his stomach.

“Why?!” he screams, banging his fist on the ground.

“Thought you’d have guessed it by now. You’re a smart boy,” Jax rises from his relaxed position on the wall opposite Varian, his muscles coiling like a predator about to lunge. He presses a dagger, cool and sharp, to the base of Varian’s chin. “It’s _fun_ ,” he slices slowly but lightly, a line across the entirety of his neck.

Varian hisses at the pain, his eyes burning with hatred. When Jax is finished, he pulls out a familiar knapsack, and Varian’s heart sinks.

Jax pulls out a vial of clear liquid and mockingly studies it. His eyes snap to Varian. “Also,” he adds. “There’s somethin’ you’re not tellin’ me, boy.”

Varian holds his ground. “I’ve told you all you need to know,” he says.

Jax catches the phrasing. “All I _need_ to know,” he snarls. “Not all I want to know. And you’re in no position to deny me that information, Varian of Old Corona.”

“I told you,” Varian says desperately. “I’m sixteen, almost seventeen years old. I was born in the Dark Kingdom and raised in Old Corona. My father’s name was - is - Quirin. Once the princess of Corona came to me for help. She wanted to know about her hair. I tried to help her but I… failed. And then my dad got stuck in amber and I blamed her because she promised she would help me! But… it was too late.”

“Aye,” Jax nods. “You did tell me all that. And the part about you stormin’ the castle with all those metal things.”

“Automatons.”

“Gesundheit. And then you went to prison, blah blah blah. Stayed there for almost a year before you broke out. Yourself.”

Varian nods, and then, realizing nodding would make him seem false, he looks the other man in the eye. “That’s what happened.”

Jax takes one look at him and tilts the vial in his hand so that one drop lands on his ungloved hand. Immediately, Varian hisses in pain, trying rubbing what must have been acid off of his skin. He whimpers, watching the blisters start to form. “Lie,” Jax points out. “You had someone else with you. You also lied about many parts of that pretty story. The princess didn’t come alone. Who else came to visit you?”

Varian hesitates. Why does he continue to protect her? She’s not his to protect, and she never has been. But she’s been good to him… relatively, at least. She freed him, fed him and gave him at least a feeling of safety. These lunatics gave him nothing.

“Remember, I don’t do lies, boy,” Jax growls. “Best tell the truth.”

So he’ll give them nothing. “Her boyfriend was with her. Eugene Fitzherbert.”

“Aye,” Jax says. “Not a lie. Who else?”

Varian meets the psychopath’s eyes. “No one.”

Another drop sizzles on Varian’s skin. Bigger. Varian shrieks in pain, but Jax lifts his chin up to look at him. “Who else?!” he roars.

Varian’s fragile defense collapses. “Rapunzel had a… a lady in waiting with her.”

Varian drops to the ground, feeling numb. Jax circles him. “What was her name?”

“Cassie,” Varian chokes out.

“‘Cassie,’” Jax muses, the name sounding chilling on his lips. “I don’ know any Cassie’s that work in Corona. Cassandra, I know that one.”

Varian prays that he doesn’t put it together. He sees Jax working it out in his head, and then his blue eyes snap towards Varian.

“She helped you escape. Cassandra of Corona. Heard wild stories ‘bout that one, kid. Heard she went an’ stole one of the seven kingdom’s most powerful objects.”

Varian doesn’t reply, but he doesn’t need to. Jax loves listening to the sound of his own voice, Varian’s come to realize. And he’s in the middle of figuring things out. “Not like I believe that,” he chuckles. “Even so, little bitch betrayed the crown. Now she’s out ‘ere somewhere.”

He hopes she’s close. He knows whatever Cassandra has in store for him if she catches him is far better than what’s in store for him if he stays in this hellhole. Varian cradles his burned arm, about to hiss something back to Jax when the caravan jerks suddenly, catching Varian and Jax off balance.

The leader steadies himself, looking flabbergasted, and then rage twists his features. “Hey, what’s tha big idea?” he yells to the front, but no one answers.

Varian sits up upon realizing that Ruddiger’s started scratching furiously at the lock on his cage, chittering loudly. Varian originally thought the raccoon was trying to get a message to his human, but then the small bird zooms in the open window, dive bombing Jax’s face.

The young alchemist watches in fascination as the bird - an owl, to be precise - dives at the man’s face over and over again, screeching furiously. The scavenger leader doubles backwards, trying angrily to swat the small owl away, but the persistent thing keeps at it, keeping him away from Varian.

Varian takes this opportunity to stretch himself as far as he can towards Ruddiger’s cage, reaching out with his fingers and just barely brushing the lock.

“C’mon!” he hisses, stretching himself further while Ruddiger chirps nervously. “Got it!” in a quick motion, Varian unlatched the small deadbolt lock and his companion leaps out, immediately going to him and anxiously pressing his tiny paws on his face.

“I’m okay, buddy, I’m okay,” he says exhausted. “It’s gonna be okay.”

Behind him, Jax roars in outrage, swatting the owl down at last. Varian screams as it falls from the air, its yellow eyes regarding Varian wearily from the floor.

Then Jax cries out as a massive black rock impales his stomach, pinning him like a dart to the wall. He chokes as Cassandra approaches him, her blue eyes blazed in fury.

“The Black Hand,” Jax chokes, eyes wide in fear.

Cassandra actually rolls her eyes. “Cassandra,” she corrects. “Never been one for stupid nicknames. Where’s the kid?”

Jax nods towards Varian, who eyes Cassandra fearfully, holding Ruddiger tightly to his chest. He could have sworn he saw Cassandra’s eyes harden.

“What’d you do to him?” she demands.

Jax tries to open his mouth to reply, but blood trickles out, and he gags on it. Cassandra scrunches up her nose. Not one to dally, she quickly unsheathes her sword and slits the man’s throat.

He collapses against the wall, still pinned like a rag doll beneath Cassandra’s rock. Speaking of Cassandra, she reaches him in two quick strides, her eyes tight. She gets to work on the chain, physically manifesting a small rock spire that’s the size of a pen, and jamming it in the keyhole.

She smiles slightly, so slightly Varian almost doesn’t catch it. But he does, and something inside Cassandra seems to soften. “Learned how to pick locks at the orphanage,” she tells him almost absentmindedly. He doesn’t answer, just watches her jiggle with the lock. Soon enough he’s free, and Cass allows her rock to crumble into nothing, the magic holding it together dissipated.

He sits there, just staring at her, his heart pounding viciously in his chest, and Cassandra visibly flinches, eyeing him cautiously. She sits back, her eyes searching him.

“Kid? You okay?”

Varian loses it then and there. He sobs once in mournful relief, throwing himself at his unlikely savior, and tosses his arms around Cassandra’s neck, clinging tightly to her.

He sobs freely against her chest, emotions he’s suppressed for what feels like the longest time pouring readily from him. Varian stays like that for a few seconds longer, just burying his chin into the crook of Cass’ neck, feeling as though he can breathe freely for the first time in a while.

He feels Cassandra bring her arms hesitantly around him in return, and while he’s grateful for her silence, he wants to know what she’s thinking.

He breaks the tense silence. “I’m sorry.”

Varian feels her tense. “It’s okay,” she says, and he’s surprised.

“Y-You think it’s okay?” he pulls away from her to see her face.

Cass glares at his arms still around her form, and he hesitantly drops them to his side, chuckling and rubbing the back of his head as she stares at him.

“I mean,” he says when she doesn’t reply. “I ran away.”

Cassandra nods, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, I’m aware,” she says dryly, and Varian hesitates, unsure if she’s kidding. She smirks, despite everything, and he relaxes. “I’m not mad. Not at you, kid. What you did was stupid, sure but it doesn’t change anything.”

“It doesn’t?”

“Nope.”

Cassandra goes over to the small owl, lifting him up gingerly and placing him on one of the soft blankets. He coos appreciatively, and Varian, shocked, watches as the bird - apparently not as injured as he originally thought - snuggles into the blanket, his eyes half lidded. The owl’s golden eyes watch Varian interact with Cassandra, his gaze neutral.

“You’re still here aren’t you?” Cassandra studies him, and Varian’s struck by the similarities between her and her stoic owl.

He nods, smiling. “Still in one piece,” he jokes, and Cass smiles at his attempt at humor.

“I’m sorry,” she says after a long pause, and Varian looks at her in surprise.

“For what?” he asks.

“Being careless,” she answers. “Not trusting you.”

“You can’t blame yourself for that,” he finds himself defending her. Defending the woman who saved his life, now more than once. “I’m the dumbass who ran away.”

Cass’ stoic little smile doesn’t falter. She regards him with what appears to be amusement. “When did you start swearing?” she asks. “Aren’t you like sixteen?”

“Seventeen in a month,” Varian says nodding. “But you’d be surprised at how prison changes a person.”

Cassandra’s smile widens, just briefly. “You don’t seem that different to me,” she says. Varian frowns at that, thinking she finds him weak, and she interrupts him before he can ask her. “It’s a compliment, genius,” she jokes, much to his surprise. “I’m glad to see that you still have a gentle heart, under all that armor you’ve acquired.”

He doesn’t feel like he has a gentle heart. He had wished those men dead, and that’s exactly what he got. But he has to say, he wasn’t expecting Cassandra, not really. He didn’t think she cared about anything anymore.

He’s beginning to think that perhaps, he’s wrong. Maybe there’s still a girl in there, the girl he knew once - who helped him get his invention back under control and turned down an offer from her dad to help him. He sure hopes so.

“I don’t think so,” he admits. “I wanted them dead.”

“I don’t blame you,” says Cass, patting his shoulder before rising to her feet. Her fluorescent eyes regard him. “They did terrible things to you.”

He doesn’t argue with that. “And you saved me,” he replies softly.

Cass smiles. “I killed them,” she says impassively. “No question. I hate people like that.”

Now Varian’s curious. Cassandra, a killer, doesn’t like other killers? No. She doesn’t like _torturers._ He understands, and she sees that.

“People like that one,” she nods to the person nailed to the wall, and waves her hand. His body collapses to the floor as the night colored rock crumbles into smaller black stones. Varian can see her sneering in the dark. “People who demand power by fear and mindlessly torture innocent boys.”

Varian is hesitant to ask his next question. “You’ve never tortured innocents?”

Cassandra looks at him. “No way,” she says. “I’m a monster but I’m not the devil. I’m not heartless like that piece of shit over there. Torturing innocents is for people who need power and fear. I’ve never needed either.”

Varian understands Cassandra for the first time in a long while. “Only glory,” he whispers.

Cassandra frowns. “C’mon, kid,” she says.

He gets up to follow her. “Where are we going?”

She heads over to Jax’s slumped over body and kicks it experimentally. Usually, he would tell her not to, but he hated the man even more than Cassandra did.

That surprised him. He didn’t ever think anyone could hate anyone like Cassandra. It was one of her more severe characteristics, but it never truly bothered Varian. She’s always been rather kind to him. At least her own Cassandra-y version of kindness, which was better than being faced with her potent anger.

“First we’re gonna take this one out of our caravan,” she says with a small smile to Varian. “Then, we’re gonna have a bonfire.”

“But you said it-”

She gives him an exasperated look. “Kid, just let me do something nice for once. You’ve been through a lot.”

Varian’s confused. “And why a bonfire?”

Cassandra looks over her shoulder. “Thought we could have a little chat,” she says. “I made a mistake earlier, when I chose not to tell you what was going on. If we’re gonna make it to where we intend, we’re gonna need to trust each other.”

“I do trust you,” says Varian. “At least I want to trust you. You saved my life.”

“But you want to know why,” Cass replies, not a question.

“I think I deserve that much,” Varian admits hesitantly.

Cass nods in turn. “I think you do too,” she says, and he trails after her, out the door of their stolen caravan and into the night awaiting.

She turns to look at him, her eyes dazzling and eerie in the moon’s glow. The mischievous gleam to them serves to make Cass look more human, and it warms him to see it. Maybe she’s not completely gone after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY POOR BABY BOY! And yes, I know it’s a lot of Cass and Varian, but I happen to really like their dynamic, even though they probably won’t end up reconciling like this on the actual show. At least Cass isn’t completely a monster though. (I hope they don’t turn her into one on the show, as she has the potential to become a great anti-hero)
> 
> Thanks for reading my horrible story  
> and have a great day!


	7. hidden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cassandra POV! Enjoy!

Cassandra slinks behind the small caravan, watching the people moving outside from behind the tree line, submerged in darkness. She narrows her eyes when they fall on the door.

He’s behind there.

Never one for plans, Cass struggles to come up with one that involves little death. She doesn’t know these people, doesn’t know if they’re decent like Varian or terrible like herself. If it’s the former, then she would have no quarrel with them. But if it’s the latter…

“Oi!” someone calls out. “Who’s out there?”

Cass stays silent as she can, watching as the four people spread out, their eyes sweeping the tree line. A few of them have weapons, Cass notices instantly. The one woman has her hand on a dagger, and one man has a flimsy looking sword. She wonders briefly where he got it, if he had won it, before her eyes go to the largest man and his giant hammer, streaked with what appears to be blood.

Cass purses her lips. _Not friendly, then._

She makes her move, rising from the bushes. Immediately, the woman closest to her spots her and yells. “Hey! Who the fuck’re you?!”

Others yell at her, exclamations of surprise, and Cass keeps her eyes on all of them. They circle around her, preventing her from retreating back into the forest. It doesn’t matter. They couldn’t corner her, nor does she have any intentions on retreating. She stops, crossing her arms, and regards them carefully.

The woman has that tiny dagger in front of her, but Cass can see her hands shaking on the dagger. She meets the woman’s eyes, and then the eyes of the big man.

She tilts her head up to look at him, managing to look relatively impassive despite her wariness. “I’m looking for Varian of Old Corona,” she says. “Tall, kinda lanky? Blue streak in his hair?”

The big man doesn’t say anything, but the woman who had first spotted her speaks up. “Aye, we know ‘im,” she says, regarding Cass with avid distrust. “What d’you want with ‘im?”

“He’s a friend of mine,” Cass tells her, and she scoffs. Cass inwardly rolls her eyes at the woman’s dismissal.

“And jus’ who are you, pretty lady?” one of the men snarls.

“No one,” Cass answers.

The men and the woman snarl their distrust, shifting in discomfort. They regard Cass with narrowed eyes and hands on their various weapons. The largest man, who must have been part giant, huffs deeply, sneering at her. Cass has to admit, she’s a bit wary of him.

That doesn’t stop her from taking a step forward. “Okay, well this has been fun. But I’ll be needing my friend back. Take me to him, and we won’t have a problem.” Cass crosses her arms, tilting her head up in defiance.

The woman blinks, startled by Cass’s blunt confidence, and then starts to laugh. Before long, the others are laughing as well. “Wha’s your name, girl?”

“I’m not telling you anything until you take me to Varian.” Cass hisses, growing impatient.

“Well we’re not gonna take you to ‘im if you don’ tell us yer name,” says the woman, smirking secretively. She nods to the big man, who without flinching, slams his magnificent hammer to the ground, forcing Cass to leap backwards.

“Seriously?” Cass sneers. “Okay,” she narrows her eyes and drops herself into a fighting crouch. “I’m done playing the nice guy.”

“Good,” one of the men says with a sharp laugh. “I’ll enjoy gutting you, fierce woman.”

She glares at him. “I’ll enjoy killing you. Quickly, so you’d shut your fat mouth,” Cass quips, and twists her hand.

Cries of alarm ring out as a massive rock spire - glowing blue like Cass’s aura now - impaling the bold man right between his legs and up his body, the tip poking grotesquely from the top of his head.

Cass turns to face the other three, who now regard her warily, and with fear. “I warned you,” she says.

“Andres!” the woman cries as the big man lets out a mighty roar, charging at Cass.

Cass waves her hand and a thorn-like spike impales the man against the tree. She watches as he dies slowly, almost enjoying the fear in his eyes. He would have killed her without hesitation too. This, Cass knows for sure.

Now the three draw their swords, and the woman her dagger. “Spread out!” one of the men spits. “She can’t get all of us at once!”

Cass flicks her wrist and a rock spire shoots through his throat, dragging his body off the ground as the mighty spike stretches towards the sky.

She finds herself locked in combat with the remaining two - the woman and the remaining man. The woman - her name is Phoebe, she remembers hearing one of the men calling her that before she had infiltrated their campsite - is handy with a dagger. But it’s just that. A dagger. Cass has a sword, and she’s been training for more than fifteen years. She kills the woman quickly, with some difficulty. Cass admired women who knew how to take care of themselves.

This left her with the man, who was no means a skilled swordsman. She dispatches him quickly, knocking him flat on his back. He raises his hands in surrender, and Cass narrows her eyes.

His eyes plead with her. She pokes the tip of the sword against his chin. “Who are you?” she demands. “What do you want with the kid?”

“Nothin’!” he stammers. “M’ name’s Nathan, milady.”

“I’m not a lady,” Cass snaps, poking the sword tip a little bit harder into the place where his head meets his neck. “Where’s the kid?”

“In there,” he points.

Cass turns to look, and the man grabs her sword with a cry, using the momentum to swing her on her back. Cass lets out a sharp cry as the wind knocks out of her, but quickly gets her bearings, rolling out of the way as Nathan swings her sword down where she was.

Cass leaps to her feet, putting her hands out palm up towards him. His eyes flash in fear. “You didn’t want to do that,” she says. But instead of using the moonstone, Cass swipes her sword back from Nathan as he’s distracted, and swiftly slits his throat.

There should have been silence, as there so often is in the forest after death, but Cass’s immediately drawn to the familiar sound of Owl’s vengeful shriek. She runs to the sound, to the caravan, where she immediately hears yells of outrage and screams of pain. Man’s screams.

Cass swears outwardly, but even she can’t deny the rush she had gotten when she realized that there were more of these terrible people. She hasn’t gotten this rush since she had first grabbed the moonstone - a rush of battle adrenaline. She embraces it as she enters the caravan.

The first thing she notices is the man wrestling with her most loyal friend. He swats Owl from the air, and the poor bird falls to the ground, his yellow eyes shocked at being tossed aside so easily. The second thing she sees is a woman’s body, spiraling curls, dark eyes and blood pooling from a slit in her neck.

Cass doesn’t need to see anything else to know this man’s temperament, and thus wastes no time. Cass lifts a hand and - in a manner similar to one of the men outside - a jagged rock spire pierces him in the stomach. She walks towards him as he dies, feeling his darkness like a potency to the air.

The man’s eyes show fear now. “The Black Hand,” he chokes out, blood running grotesquely from his mouth and down his chin.

Cass almost laughs at the nickname, but settles for an eye roll. What a joke. “Cassandra,” she says impatiently. “Never been one for stupid nicknames. Where’s the kid?”

The dying man gestures to a corner of the room Cass’s eyes originally passed over, and she immediately swears under her breath, irritated at herself for missing the very kid she had come to rescue. He and the raccoon watch her with fearful eyes, and she’s chilled by the almost hopeless, dead look she sees in Varian’s.

With his hair unkempt and matted with sweat, Varian looks like a cornered animal, beaten and tired. Cass snarls upon seeing it, newfound hatred running through her veins. She’s killed people before - in war, usurpers to the throne, and scavengers such as these. But never before has she beaten a child, tortured them beyond reason. And for what? For _fun?_

She whirls on the man. “What did you do to him?” she demands.

He struggles to answer her, but more blood heaves from his mouth, and he chokes on it. Much as it’s sickening, the pain in his eyes is nothing compared to the haunting look in Varian’s. Cass scowls and makes quick work slitting his throat, satisfied when he keels over, dead. She almost wishes that she could have kept him alive longer, allowing him to live so that she could slowly break him as he had tried to Varian, but she didn’t, knowing she never wanted to see this man alive again.

She heads over to the kid without a second thought, shooing the raccoon away from his obvious bruises and burns. Cass quickly sets to work on freeing the kid from this gods-awful chain - Which, seriously? A chain? - summoning a small needle-like rock shard in her hand.

Of everything, she smiles, remembering teaching herself how to pick a lock during her days at the orphanage, before everything grew difficult. Only things never really had been easy for Cass. She grew up with parents she can’t even picture - a single mother, she remembers just barely - and then had been abandoned.

She meets Varian’s inquisitive eyes. He must have so many questions for her. She decides to answer one. “I learned how to do this at the orphanage,” she tells him, and he nods just barely, still looking at her with confliction - one part of him trying to figure her out and the other just shocked beyond the powers of speech.

Upon sensing she’s not going to get far with him at this time, Cass tries to delve into some of her more painful memories, what little she remembers about her life before she had been adopted.

Cass doesn’t remember the night she had been left behind. She remembers her mother just barely, remembers even less about her life before. Cass supposes her mother had a good reason for giving her up, and more than she’d like to admit, she wishes she knew that reason.

She supposed now that she’s grown up and has more time to consider her past, she realizes how closely Death has been following her. Death is forgetting. She’s been forgotten all her life, surrounded by others who’ve outshined her. She had gotten used to it, but had never truly gotten over it. Everyone she knew valued someone else over her. Rapunzel had Eugene, her father had the crown and even Andrew, the Saporian separatist she had helped bust had his kingdom.

Varian had his dad before he had gotten trapped, and now he has no one as well. Cass suddenly resists the improper urge to laugh. The world brought them together again - two misfits with plenty of baggage. People should write stories about them, she thinks. The thought amuses her.

The lock clicks a final time, and Varian’s ankle slips free from the iron chain trapping him. He scrambles back a few paces, still just staring at her. He looks pained.

“Kid?” she approaches him slowly, trying not to spook him. He’s been through hell if the haunted look in his eyes is anything to judge by. “You okay?”

She sees his eyes fill with tears, and the fragile tension that had been stirring between them dissipates. Cass is just about to comfort him when the kid throws himself at her, swinging his arms around her neck.

Cass freezes at the sudden contact, and the pressing wave of sheer emotion she feels swarm her. It’s been such a long time since anyone came to her for comfort. No one she knew needed it, and if they did, they found someone else. She wraps her arms around Varian in return, silently letting him cry out his fear.

She feels a sudden swell of hatred for the people who did this to him. Taking a boy who had just lost his father and spent a year in prison only to torture him at every term. That’s what they did, right? Torture? Cass knows the look in Varian’s eyes - the look of a man frightened beyond belief - but she also can see the sliver of hope in his eyes, and knows he’s not lost.

He’s stopped crying now, and he appears to have forgotten who he’s clinging to, for his head’s now pillowed on her shoulder, and Cass can hear him taking deep conscious breaths as if to calm himself.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers.

She stiffens. He had betrayed her. Cass remembers. “It’s okay,” she says softly. It didn’t matter anymore. She didn’t blame him for looking out for himself, even if it led to this.

Cass feels him pull away, and he looks at her surprised. “You think it’s okay?” he echoes doubtfully.

Varian still has his hands gripped tightly on her upper arms, and Cass glares pointedly at him. When he meets her accusing stare, his hands slip back to his sides, and he laughs, brushing it off.

She stares at him for perhaps too long, trying to decipher him. It should have been easy - Varian was honestly much more similar to Rapunzel than to herself - but she can’t help but wonder what goes on inside this kid’s brilliant mind.

“I mean,” Varian breaks the uncomfortable silence. “I ran away.”

Cass nods. That was true. But it didn’t matter much anymore. She knew more than anyone that one has to look out for themselves if they are to survive - especially out here, out of the protection of the crown.

Varian’s still watching her carefully, warily, waiting for him to continue. Does he think she means to hurt him? Like the men undoubtedly did when he moved out of line? Cass decides to prove him wrong.

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, I’m aware,” she says in what she hopes is a joking manner, even going as far to shoot him a small smirk to let him know she was kidding. “I’m not mad,” Cass clarifies. “Not at you, kid. What you did was stupid, sure but it doesn’t change anything.”

He still looks doubtful. “It doesn’t?”

Cass shakes her head. “Nope.”

She turns away from him, going to her faithful small friend to scoop him gently in her hands and place him on one of the dead scavengers’ blankets. He croons respectively and appreciatively. Cass nods to him in return.

Owls were intelligent animals, difficult but not impossible to train. They were wild, free - no names to label them. Owls didn’t need names in the wild, no one did. Names were a staple of the civil world, and Cass had respected that the bird didn’t entirely belong in the civil world. Because of that, she hadn’t given him a name.

When Rapunzel asked Cass what Owl’s name was, she had been surprised by the question. No one had ever asked her about the moody bird, as Coronians were usually frightened by the wild owl or his equally intimidating human companion. But she had known Rapunzel then, admired her and her desire for freedom. In some ways, the princess was more like Cass and Owl than her own people. Unlike the lords and ladies of great kingdoms, Raps did what she pleased, giving little care for convention and social cues.

So Cass had told her that the bird’s name was Owl, mainly to please her. As expected, the princess took to calling the bird ‘Owl’, and so Owl he became. To Eugene, to her father, to Lance and even to herself.

“Why?” her new companion asks her, hesitantly, as if he thought she would hurt him should he say the wrong thing. “Why save me of all people? I’m as good to you alive as I am dead.”

She supposes that Varian, as intelligent as he is, would understand her on some level. He spent almost an entire year with only the raccoon as company, while Owl had been her constant through thick and thin.

She smiles at him. In some ways, this boy is tougher than she is. He’s a survivor, and she intends to make him realize that. “But you’re still alive, aren’t you?” she asks him after a long pause.

To her surprise, Varian smiles. “Still in one piece,” he says softly, a teasing lilt to his voice.

Cass smiles sadly, suddenly remembering why he had left in the first place. If she had just swallowed her damn pride… “I’m sorry,” her voice carries over to him, and she’s struck by how vulnerable it sounds.

He looks inquisitive. “For what?”

Cass bites her lip. “For being careless,” she admits. “And for not trusting you.”

To her surprise, Varian shakes his head. “You can’t blame yourself for that,” he replies, and Cass chuckles at the sentiment. What he says is reassuring, sure, but what about this isn’t her fault? “I’m the dumbass that ran away.”

Now it’s Cass’s turn to be shocked. She looks at him. “When did you start swearing?” she asks, raising an eyebrow. “Aren’t you like sixteen?”

_Rapunzel wouldn’t approve._

Cass almost laughs aloud. They’ve both done things the princess wouldn’t approve of. Hell, they’ve both done things the princess _didn’t_ approve of. What a strange world she’s living in, laughing it up with an infamous enemy of the crown. Then again, she’s not so innocent either.

Varian nods, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Seventeen in a month,” he says, tilting his head thoughtfully to the side. “But you’d be surprised how much prison changes a person.”

Cass tries to hide her amusement, not used to being scrutinized. She remembers that it had been a habit of his. Whenever he came to the castle, and even back at that dumb science expo, she always used to sense his eyes on her as he tried to figure her out. Like she was an enigma or something. “You don’t seem that different to me,” she comments. He frowns. She rolls her eyes. “It’s a compliment, genius.” Cass raises an eyebrow at his skepticism, deciding to assure him. She smiles. “It’s good to see that you still have a gentle heart under all that armor you’ve acquired.”

She watches the gears in his sharp mind turn as he contemplates her words. Another thing she had noticed about Varian; he often thought about what she said, listening intently to her whenever she spoke. People often looked her over, not considering her advice, but he never did. She had brushed it off as creepy before, back when he used to think she hung the moon, but she finds she doesn’t mind it much anymore, now that she knows that’s just something he does. It also helps that the look in his eyes now doesn’t make her uncomfortable. He regards her as an ally now, a reluctant friend, and that makes Cass feel a lot better.

Maybe he’s changed a little bit too.

“I don’t think so,” he replies after considering her words for a longer time than usual. His eyes harden. “I wanted them dead.”

_So did I._ “I don’t blame you,” Cass says, rising from her knees. She pats his shoulder, almost subconsciously reassuring him, and  regards him sadly. “They did terrible things to you.” _He’ll need to see. I can’t keep secrets from this kid, he’s too smart._

He regards her with gratitude and soft eyes. “And you saved me.”

“I killed them,” she says bluntly, glancing at him. “No question. I hate people like that.”

Once again, Varian goes silent, contemplating her words as he tries to get into her head. Cass rethinks her original statement - it was still a little bit creepy. She rolls her eyes, and gestures to the man’s corpse, still pinned helplessly to the wall.

“People like that one,” Cass continues, waving her hand to dismantle the rock holding him there, and he crumbles onto the floor. She scowls at him, quite nearly spitting her next words. “People who demand power by fear and mindlessly torture innocent boys.”

He does it again, his considering gaze sharp as he regards her, but only for a short pause. “You’ve never tortured innocents?”

She turns a sharp eye to him, incredulous that he would think her capable. Then again, she hasn’t told him much. She can understand his skepticism, but she means to erase it.

She’s going to need him to trust her if they’re going to make it to their final destination alive. The area outside of the Corona Wall wasn’t necessarily a good place for an aspiring young alchemist with no training.

“No way,” Cass shakes her head. “I’m a monster, but I’m not the devil. I’m not heartless like that piece of shit over there.” Cass sends the dead man a parting glare. “Torturing innocents is for people who need power and fear. I’ve never needed either.”

“Only glory,” she hears Varian whisper.

She meets his gaze, cringing away not from the certainty she sees there, but from the disappointment. She turns away, frowning. Ah, yes. Her little ambition problem. It would probably be her downfall, but that didn’t mean she liked hearing people point it out.

“C’mon, kid,” she says, keeping her voice light. It was time for some peace and quiet, and after the week she’s had tracking down the kid, she could really go for a nice fire.

He rises to follow her. “Where are we going?”

Cass ignores his question, favoring to head over to the dead man’s crumpled body instead. She kicks at him once, satisfied when he doesn’t make a sound. There’s no real reason for doing it, but it does make Cass feel better.

As for Varian, Cass’s beginning to grow a bit weary from his questions. Always the questions with this kid. Cass imagines that he made his father crazy when he was younger, thinking that he’d be the kid who asked every question that popped into his head. She smiles at the thought. She had never been that girl, and she never would be.

“First, we’re gonna take this one out of our caravan,” Cass says to Varian, the latter nodding with relief. She smiles. “Then we’re gonna have a bonfire.”

He tilts his head. “But you said it-”

She sends him her best ‘bitch please’ look, and he wisely shuts up. “Kid, just let me do something nice for once,” she sighs. “You’ve been through a lot.”

He still looks confused, but he seems happy enough, a small bounce to his step as he bounds out of the caravan, the raccoon at his side. “And why a bonfire?” he asks.

She looks over her shoulder at him as he sidles up to her side. “Thought we could have a little chat,” she says mysteriously, and then sighs. “I made a mistake earlier, when I chose not to tell you what was going on. If we’re gonna make it to where we intent, we’re gonna need to trust each other.”

Varian looks at her. “I do trust you,” he insists, and then backs off as if he feels he’s overstepped his boundaries. “At least I want to trust you. You saved my life.”

“But you want to know why,” Cass says, her eyes searching him for an answer.

He smiles hesitantly. “I think I deserve that much,” Varian says softly.

Cass nods. That was fair. “I think you do too,” she admits, and he follows her as she heads into the forest to look for firewood. For once, there’s no question on his lips. Varian is silent, contemplative and thoughtful. She looks over her shoulder to read his expression, and his eyes catch hers. He smiles sweetly.

Cass lets out a breathy laugh - one that he could not possibly hear - and allows him to catch up to her. The raccoon trots happily between them, interweaving through Cass and Varian’s legs affectionately. Cass chuckles out loud now, amused at seeing such a wild animal act so domestic. Like a cat.

The raccoon looks up at her, chitters happily when he meets her gaze and then, to Cass’s surprise, climbs up her leg, settling on her shoulders. She makes sure to give the raccoon a reproachful look, but even the animal knows that she doesn’t mean it.

Varian on the other hand, snatches his friend from Cass’s shoulders. “Ruddiger! Get outta here!” He laughs nervously, setting the raccoon down on the ground. Ruddiger huffs in annoyance, not accepting the fact that he can’t perch on a pair of shoulders, and climbs up Varian.

Cass eyes the pair with some amusement. It’s only been a year, and yet the raccoon is as well trained, if not better trained than Owl himself. Varian playfully swats at his friend, trying to get him off of his shoulders.

“I’m so sorry about that, Cassandra,” Varian says before turning back to his closest friend. “C’mon, Ruddy, why don’t you go find us some firewood?” the boy says to the raccoon, who blinks lazily at him. When the raccoon doesn’t move, Varian nudges him. He sighs, regarding Cass exasperatedly. She smiles slightly, just to let him know she empathizes with his pain, and Ruddiger scampers off into the wilderness, presumably in search of firewood.

Cass raises an eyebrow as she considers the boy besides her. “You think he’ll listen?”

“Always has before,” Varian replies with a grin worthy of his former self. “He’s a smart one, that raccoon.”

_Almost as smart as his best friend_ , Cass thinks to herself. Instead she says, “Owl’s pretty smart too. As soon as he’s good to go, I’m going to send him to patrol the skies. That okay with you?”

He looks surprised that he’s being included in the decision making, and he nods just barely.

They walk in silence for a little while before Varian speaks again.

“Why do you call him ‘Owl’?” he asks cautiously.

Cass laughs. “Why do you call your raccoon ‘Ruddiger’?” she counters, searching in the thickets for branches.

He grins again, doing the same, but watching her. Always watching. “Okay, you got me there. It was my dad’s idea, actually. He thought the name suited him.”

Cass raises her eyebrows. “Your dad let you keep a wild animal in the house? What if it bit you?”

Varian waves his hand. “Aw, c’mon Cass, you knew it was never like that. My dad trusted me to take care of him. Besides, even when he kicked Ruddy out, he always came back. After a while, my dad just stopped trying, and I got to keep him.”

“My dad would never,” Cass says. “Only reason he tolerated Owl was because he was my only friend growing up.”

Varian nods. “I get that,” he says, and then smiles, “Although I would have wanted to be your friend. If I were born back then at least.”

Cass smiles under her breath, glad that he couldn’t see her as well in the darkness. He only had the fluorescent chemicals to light his way, and Cass took nothing, trained to travel without being able to see. “Thanks, kid,” she says.

“You’re welcome,” he replies cheerfully. “Also, you never did tell me.”

“Tell you what?” Cass asks.

“How Owl got his name. The name’s kinda boring, even for you.”

Cass glares at him in the dark, but laughs to let him know she’s kidding. He’s slowly reverting back to his old self, but he’s still quite skittish around her. Cass aims to change that. She lets the comment go, having heard worse from others. “I’ve never told anyone that story,” she says, gathering her branches in her hands. “Maybe we should wait until we get the fire started.”

“Cass,” Varian says, and she looks at him, seeing him raise an eyebrow in the dim light of the glowing test tubes. “You’re evading.”

“Am not,” Cass mutters. “It’s just not an interesting story.”

“Then why are we waiting? I always thought interesting stories were shared at a bonfire.”

She glares at him. “You’re too smart for your own good, kid.”

“It’ll probably get me killed someday,” Varian agrees casually. “Not that I care.”

Cass takes that information and files it in her brain. _He doesn’t care if he dies?_ That’s certainly a change from the Varian she remembers. She doesn’t like it. “I met Owl when I was six,” she says, and Varian pauses, just listening to her. “I’d spent two years in the orphanage when my dad came and took me back to the castle. He was just a soldier then, not Captain of the Guard, but he was kind to me. I never looked up to anyone more.”

Cass notes Varian’s expression, and knows he understands. She continues.

“Owl was just a baby when I found him in the garden, crying with a broken wing. I helped him, naturally, hid him from the nuns easily enough.” Varian smiles at that detail, as if trying to imagine a tiny Cass fighting to keep her friend hidden from harm. “He grew up healthy and strong. Once his wing was healed though, he took off. I didn’t see him for a long time after that. Until my dad-”

Cass chokes on her words, suddenly missing her dad. She wonders what he’s doing right now? Crying over her betrayal or plotting her downfall?

Both?

“Cassandra?”

Cass pauses. “I’m sorry,” she says softly, averting her gaze. She doesn’t want his comfort. She doesn’t deserve it.

He gives it anyways, quickly making it to her side. When he stops moving, Varian stays completely still. Not touching her, like Rapunzel would have. Not heartfelt but misplaced humor by Eugene and or Lance. Not even Shorty was there to offer up any ridiculous advice.

Varian was different. He just let her drop the sticks she had been carrying, and she holds her arms protectively around herself, beginning to fold in on herself. He lends her his energy without actively touching her. She can feel him hovering however, and wipes her eyes, peering over at him.

He’s watching her. Of course he is. But he looks sympathetic, and Cass quickly realizes that he probably understands her grief better than anyone.

“You don’t have to continue,” Varian makes his way closer to her, stopping a foot from her. He kneels down and takes the sticks she had dropped. Shocked and disturbed at her own display of grief, Cass follows him back towards the caravan.

“You wanted to know,” Cass says once she catches up to him. She glares at him holding all that firewood, his arms struggling to carry it all. “Kid, let me help you with that.”

“It’s okay, Cassandra, I got it,” he says. His voice is muffled however, and the stack of firewood conceals his face from her.

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, would you stop being so stubborn?” Cass snaps, taking some of the firewood off of his hands. Once his face is visible, his eyes meet hers.

“Cassandra, I can take it-”

She gives him a glare, and he shies away. They walk together in silence for a little while, not broaching the topic of his stubbornness again. After a few minutes, Varian’s raccoon pads out from underneath the brush, a large stick in his mouth. He chitters at Cass in greeting, and Cass decides that the silence that’s developed between her and the kid is starting to make her uncomfortable.

Apparently, Varian was thinking the exact same thing. “So how did you name Owl?” he asks again, and Cass fights back a smile at his stubborn curiosity. “Y-You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want,” he amends shakily. “I know it’s a tough subject.”

_Her dad_ , he means. He would understand that at least.

“I get it,” Varian continues sadly. “I haven’t seen mine in almost a year.”

Cass doesn’t offer him any condolences. How many times can she say she’s sorry before it loses its meaning? She takes a breath as they enter the clearing where they parked the caravan. The horses whinny nervously, as if sensing the magic brewing within Cass.

“It was the night of Rapunzel’s coronation,” she says softly, and Varian turns to look at her, dropping his collection of wood onto the pile she’d already started. Cass takes a seat on a log she’d placed near the fire, toying with a rock and stick. “I wanted to do something nice for her, and I wanted to get out of that goddamn lady in waiting dress as soon as possible,” she mutters as an afterthought. Varian smiles, and comes to sit next to her.

“Sounds like you,” he remarks, and Cass stares at him. “What? It’s not like you’re a stranger. I _did_ consider you a friend, y’know… before…”

Cass frowns at the statement, and then chastises herself. _You don’t have friends. Not anymore. He is an ally._ She continues as if Varian hadn’t spoken, and keeps her eyes trained on the stick and stone. With one final strike, a fire sparks on the wood, and she throws it into the pile. “I snuck Rapunzel out of the castle,” Cass continues. “Gods, she was even more cooped up than I was! King Frederic’s a protective man to a fault.”

“Where did you go?” Varian’s voice is subdued, almost sullen, but he still was curious about her, eager to listen.

She pauses. “It was that night, actually. When Raps first saw the rocks and grew her hair back. Owl, never one to miss excitement, wanted to join us on the adventure. Raps asked me what his name was and I told her it was Owl.”

Varian looks at her, nonplussed. “That…” he tilts his head and furrows his brows. “Was not a story.”

“What do you mean?! You wanted to know how Owl got his name. I told you. I told you, kid, it’s not exciting.”

“Not only is it not exciting,” Varian points out smugly. “But it’s also not a story.”

Cass throws up her hands. “How is it not a story?!”

“There’s no ending!” Varian exclaims. “Barely a middle, even. C’mon Cassandra, you gotta do better than that if you want to impress me.”

Cass narrows her eyes at him, raising an eyebrow. She crosses her arms over her chest. “Oh? And who said I wanted to impress you?”

“I did!” He says with a cheeky grin. “Me. I did. Just now.”

Cass rolls her eyes, brushing off the stuttering like a rush of cold water. “Whatever.”

They sit in silence for a little while, Cass enjoying just watching the flames dance, when after a beat, Varian says, “So why?”

Cass rolls her eyes again, turning to face him. “Why what?” she sighs.

“Why’d you name him Owl?”

”For gods’ sake, kid!” Cass exclaims. “That’s the third time you've asked me that question. Why do you care so much?”

He frowns. “Cass, you’re evading again.”

“Am not!” she cries.

Varian, the sarcastic little shit, just nods smartly. “Mhm,” he hums. “Yep. Pretty sure you’re evading.”

“He didn’t _have_ a name before Rapunzel asked. That was the point of the story,” Cass says between gritted teeth, and then deflates. She sighs, running a hand through her hair.

Varian just looks at her now, not afraid, Cass notices. She wonders how after all they both have been through, they still have the same easy way of addressing the other. He surprises her yet again when he smiles gently at her - as if he were her therapist or something.

She averts her gaze and sits back, staring into the flames. Cass can feel Varian’s gaze on her, warm and familiar. She sighs. “He was crying when I found him. Mournful cries - the sound of something that had just lost everything - his pride, his family, his life. I had to hide him, until he was okay. And when he got better, he… well, he left. He was - is - a wild animal. The wild don’t have names. They don't need them. I thought it would be a nod to him, of sorts, to not name him. That and naming something inevitably attaches it to you.

“And then, miraculously, a few years after my father adopted me, a fully grown owl swooped down, landed on my shoulder and started picking through my hair. The way the baby bird used to do. Of course I kept him. ‘If you love someone, set them free, but if they return to you then they’re yours forever.’ That’s what Father used to tell me when I was younger.”

Varian looks utterly invested in her stupidly emotional revised story, and when Cass sees tears in his eyes, it suddenly comes to her that he’s considering his own father. “My Mom used to say that to me. Before…”

Cass frowns. “Before?”

Varian shakes his head, leaving Cass with more questions than answers.

“So you let Rapunzel pick the name?” Varian’s voice brings her back.

“No,” Cass says. “She was the first one to voice the question.”

“No one’s ever asked about him?” Varian tilts his head.

Cass shakes her head. “No, and it wasn’t Raps who picked the name. I told her his name was Owl. Because it was fitting. That’s what he is.”

Varian stares at her, his gaze penetrating. “What happened between you and Rapunzel?” he asks hesitantly. “You used to be so close. Like sisters.”

_Sisters._

Not anymore. Rapunzel had made herself abundantly clear. She didn’t need Cass anymore, even if Rapunzel had tried so hard to prove her loyalty to her best friend at the very end. It never mattered. Rapunzel was destined for something bigger, and Cass was destined to always be in her shadow, a pale comparison to her former friend’s golden light

Until now. She stole the most powerful object in the known kingdoms. Took it right from under Rapunzel’s nose. Was what she did right? She hopes so. She hopes she’s doing the right thing, and that everyone else will survive because of it.

At least that’s what she tells herself. A part of her, however small, knows that she took that stone for glory. Because she had been tired of being overlooked.

Varian looks curiously at her. “Cassandra?”

She averts her gaze and rises, brushing herself off. Her fingers brush against the smooth surface of the moonstone, feeling the pleasant but defiant tempest of energy thrumming underneath her fingertips. “I’m going to bed,” she says.

“I’m sorry-”

Cass shakes her head. “It’s okay, kid. Get some sleep okay?”

Varian nods, looking sullen in the firelight. “Okay,” he says, dousing the fire. Cass sees his lithe figure follow her to the door, and the raccoon squeezes in just before she does. He turns to face her, but Cass can’t see any of his features in the darkness. “Goodnight, Cassandra,” he says softly.

Her lips twitch into a half-smile, knowing he can’t see her in this darkness. She nods. “Night, Varian.”

She takes the room at the end of the narrow hallway, and Varian takes the one across from her. Not where she’d like him to be - especially so close to her - but it isn’t like they have a choice. There had been only two bedrooms in the caravan. Cass wonders if the terrible man made his men sleep on the floor outside. Based on what she’s seen, she wouldn’t put it past him.


	8. the sisters of dos equus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I’ve been getting into Game of Thrones and I kinda sorta forgot about this story (whoops). Hopefully this chapter makes up for it. It’s light and fluffy, unlike the last two. There are also some OCs in this chapter - I hope you like them!

Rapunzel plans to sneak out of her room as soon as she hears the news. Varian and Cass have been spotted in Old Corona, or so say her father’s sources.

So it was just as they all feared. They were together after all. Cass had helped him escape. And now they were in Old Corona? It had been more than a week since she’d spoken with Varian, and exactly a week since she’d heard he’d escaped. So why were he and Cassandra still in Old Corona?

As for sneaking out, Rapunzel has never been one to sit still for long. To be honest, she’s surprised she hasn’t attempted escape long before now and she knows her father is surprised as well - though she’s certain the king is pleasantly surprised, where she’s decidedly not.

Pascal is understandably excited, for her friend has never been one to sit still and idly wait either. He chirps his approval, wearing a deceptively innocent smile as he urges Rapunzel on.

“Pascal, I know you _really_ want to go outside, but we need to be smart about this.”

Pascal mumbles his assent, and squeals as he often does when an idea comes to him. Pascal jerks his tail in the direction of the window, his eyes mischievous.

Rapunzel smirks. “You think we can swing that?” she goes to the window and looks down. “Not as tall as the tower and I managed that,” she tells Pascal, who snickers as best a chameleon can.

Rapunzel’s just starting to weigh the options when a sharp set of knocks startles her out of her thoughts. “Your Highness,” Pete says from the other side of her bedroom door. “Your father, the king, requests your presence out in the courtyard.”

Rapunzel nearly shrieks with delight. _After what seems like so long of doing what I’m told,_  she thinks to herself. _Finally we’re getting somewhere._

Pascal seems to feed off of her joy, for he squeals excitedly, padding in tiny circles on her shoulder.

“Be out in a second, Pete!” Rapunzel calls out.

She snags the dagger Adira had left for her off of her bedside table, sliding it snugly in her belt, and looks at herself in the mirror.

In her adventure outfit - or so she’s coined it - with the dagger in her belt, Rapunzel can’t help but think of that one time back in the tower when she had first seen the crown.

She had been intrigued by it almost as much as she had been intrigued by the handsome but infuriating man she had trapped in her wardrobe.

There had been no words to explain the feeling she had in the tower - the tiara on her head. It had just looked _right,_ sparking a sense of peace inside her that warred with the spark of curiosity that had grown to flame. The crown had looked right then.

She hates how it feels now.

Wrong. So wrong that she doesn’t even bother wearing it anymore.

She’s never been a princess - that had been robbed from her, taken from her by someone who hadn’t had the right.

Rapunzel had never known hatred. Not before she had met Eugene Fitzherbert. She thought she got a taste of it when he had barged into her home and turned her life upside down, but it was never directed at him - not really. In fact, he changed her life for the better, showed her what it was like to be free, and loved. Truly loved.

No, the only hatred Rapunzel has ever felt had been directed at what some called The Red Witch. Mother Gothel. She had stripped Rapunzel of everything she was supposed to be, reducing her to the likes of an inanimate object. To Gothel, her hair was the only thing that made her special. And all those years, Rapunzel had _believed_ it. She hates that she allowed the witch to reduce her to near nothing. She hates how a part of her yearns for her still, for the only mother she had known.

Of course, these thoughts were normal. Rapunzel just has to get over it. Her _mother_ had been a monster, and Rapunzel hates her for it. She has a real family now, a mom and a dad and Eugene. People who love her and trust her. People who build her up instead of tearing her down.

So why is she feeling so conflicted?

Pascal nudges her impatiently, his eyes knowing. She sighs, scratching the top of his head, and straightens her dress, casting one last look at herself in the mirror. A princess. That’s what she is, and that’s what everyone expects her to be.

Gods, she wishes Eugene were here. He was the one person who could look beyond her crown and her magic hair and her new titles. He was one person who saw her for what she was, the one person who stood by her no matter what.

But she sent him away. And she has never felt so alone.

“Princess Rapunzel?” Pete’s voice breaks her from her thoughts.

“I’m coming!” she says, sharing a look with Pascal before opening the door. Stan and Pete smile at her, nodding respectfully. Rapunzel searches both their faces. “What’s up?”

They exchange a look, hesitant to say anything without the king’s permission. Rapunzel resists the surprising urge to roll her eyes. She’s starting to become impatient, a little bird caged in her room for so long.

It must be the look on her face that makes them relent.

“There’s two girls downstairs in the courtyard,” Stan says. “From Dos Equus.”

Mention of the sunny place startles Rapunzel. She hasn’t heard much about Dos Equus, but she knows that it’s far away, and that makes her think. “Dos Equus?” she repeats incredulously. “What are they doing here?”

Pete and Stan share another look, the ghost of a grimace on the former’s face. Stan looks uneasily to the princess, which Rapunzel doesn’t appreciate. She doesn’t like being out of the loop.

Rapunzel crosses her arms. “What are they doing here?” she repeats impatiently. “And don’t tell me my dad doesn’t want me to know.”

“Princess-”

“I’ve been locked in my room for as long as I can remember!” Rapunzel snaps irritably. “I at least have the right to know _why_ I’m being summoned. Tell me.”

They exchange another uneasy look, perturbed by Rapunzel’s lack of her usual sunny disposition. “They say that they’ve seen things that they can’t explain down in Old Corona.”

Rapunzel furrows her brow. “What were they doing in Old Corona? Dos Equus is at least a three week journey on horseback.”

Stan bites his lip. “You’d better come with us,” he says. “You’ll want to hear the story from them.”

Rapunzel sighs, and then she nods. “Take me to the courtyard then,” she says. “I’d like to speak to them.”

“Of course, Princess,” Stan nods respectfully, and gestures for Rapunzel to follow him, Pete at his side. She makes to go after them after checking that Pascal is safely on her shoulder. He looks up at her uneasily.

“It’ll be okay, Pascal,” Rapunzel says softly to the chameleon, who squeaks suspiciously. “Dad wouldn’t have called me down if it weren’t important. Maybe he’s finally starting to trust me again. That’d be nice, huh?”

Pascal croaks doubtfully, and Rapunzel chuckles to herself.

“So little faith, Pascal,” she teases lightly, to which he rolls his eyes. “Well we’ll see in a minute, right?”

Pascal makes a noise which suggests he doesn’t expect much to come out of this meeting. Rapunzel knows how much her friend longs for how life was before - when it was just him and her against the world - only them and the great unknown beyond the tower walls. Now she was a princess, and Pascal her little pet. Not that she wouldn’t hit anyone who referred to him as such over the head with a frying pan.

“This is an adventure, right?” Rapunzel says, trying to make light of the situation. “Kind of a mystery. Two girls come in from Dos Equus and say they saw something down in Old Corona. What did they see? How did they get here? Why are they here?”

Pascal is not amused. He dismisses her questions with a little hand.

Rapunzel sighs. “Pascal, you need to work with me here.”

He looks at her, little arms crossed, and sticks out his tongue.

“Pascal,” Rapunzel chides. “You know that’s not nice.”

He does it again. Unashamedly. She sighs again.

“We can’t just do what we want anymore, bud,” says Rapunzel. “We’re not in the tower anymore. And… I’m a princess now. I’m… important. I matter to people. I can’t just drop everything and take this on myself.”

Pascal squeaks at her, which Rapunzel, if she reads between the lines, interprets as: “Why not?”

“Look, Pascal,” says Rapunzel softly. “Just look at what I’ve done. This is my mess, and if I get involved further, I’ll probably make even more of a mess. We’re lucky Dad is taking this on for us.”

Pascal looks at her like he doesn’t believe what he’s hearing. Then he croaks at her, seeing right through her fragile argument.

“I know!” she hisses, casting a glance to Stan and Pete in front of her, who have respectfully given her and Pascal room to talk. She watches Pete glance at her, only to have Stan sock him in the arm. Rapunzel reminds herself to thank Stan later. “I know you don’t want to be shut up in here with me. Trust me, it’s the last thing I want too. But we have to give them a chance, Pascal. We have to trust our friends to figure this out and get back to us.”

Pascal sticks out his tongue. He’s always hated waiting.

“We have to wait, Pascal,” Rapunzel tells him, quickly growing tired of his attitude. “I know it sucks, but we have to deal with it.”

Pascal squeals, his eyes lighting up like he’s just gotten an idea, and then sends a mischievous glance towards Stan and Pete far ahead of her. He turns to the nearest window, and flicks his tail suggestively towards it. Rapunzel shakes her head.

“Pascal, you know we can’t do that,” she chides him. “Dad would be furious at me.”

Pascal visibly deflates, but stays quiet. Rapunzel ignores the slight burst of pride at successfully standing her ground against her surprisingly stubborn best friend. He grumbles to himself as they continue through the castle, making their way to the courtyard.

“Just bear with me, buddy,” says Rapunzel. “We’ll get out of this mess. Eventually,” she sighs under her breath. Pascal curls up against her, patting her neck comfortingly. The princess smiles, and scratches under his chin. He croaks happily. “Thanks for sticking with me, Pascal.”

They meet Queen Arianna at the door. Her eyes light up when they meet Rapunzel’s. “Oh, honey,” she says quietly, pulling her daughter into a hug. “I’m so sorry about all this.”

“It’s okay, Mom,” says Rapunzel, pulling away. “Dad means well, I know that.”

Arianna gives her a sympathetic smile and keeps pace with Rapunzel, Stan and Pete at their heels. Rapunzel can’t help but feel rejuvenated as the sun’s rays hit her. She’s forgotten how much she’s missed being outside. “Your father just doesn’t want to lose you again, Rapunzel,” she says. “You know the day we lost you was the worst day of our lives. The day you returned to us was the best,” her mother sighs, her eyes far away. “You can’t blame us for simply wanting you safe.”

“I know,” says Rapunzel, her eyes moving to the two skinny figures sitting on a bench in the middle of the royal gardens.

They look uncomfortable, the younger one’s eyes flitting around as if looking for trouble. When they land on her, Rapunzel’s immediately struck with wariness. The look in the girl’s eyes is a wall of fiery emotion, and her right hand goes to fiddle with the pommel of a thin sword at her side. The older one catches her gaze and immediately stops her. The little one reluctantly releases the sword, but her distrustful eyes remain locked on Rapunzel.

“What are they doing here?” Rapunzel whispers to her mother, unnerved by the younger girl’s distrustful gaze.

“We haven’t gotten much about them personally,” says Arianna. “Every time the older one tries to get in a word about themselves, that little one stops her. They don’t trust us, and rightfully so.”

“Why?” asks Rapunzel.

“You don’t know much about Dos Equus, do you, love?” Arianna says, and Rapunzel shakes her head. “It’s a slave city. Run by people who bask in luxury and step on others to get what they want.”

Rapunzel’s mortified. “Why haven’t we done anything?” she asks. “To help them?”

Her mother smiles sadly. “It’s not our place,” she says. “If we get involved, we risk starting a war. We can’t afford one right now, as you know. Not with Cassandra and Varian out there.”

Rapunzel frowns. “And these girls are… slaves?” she asks hesitantly.

“Runaways, if I’m not mistaken,” says Arianna. “Slaves who ran from their masters.”

Rapunzel looks at her mother. “Can I talk to them?”

Arianna hesitates. “I don’t think that’s-”

“Ah, Rapunzel!” her father’s voice booms.

Rapunzel turns in the direction it came from, and comes face to face with her father. His stance is powerful, imposing for the court, but Rapunzel has long since learned that true emotion comes from the eyes. Her father’s eyes are tired, giving away his current disposition.

He pulls her into a giant bear hug. “I’m glad you’re here,” he says softly. “As future queen, it’s important that you understand what’s going on.”

Rapunzel pulls away, giving the sisters a glance. The little one watches them intently from the bench, her skinny arms taut and ready for a fight. Rapunzel’s overcome with a strong urge to protect them. For all they went through, these girls deserve to know some measure of safety and happiness.

King Frederic turns to look at the girls. “Scrawny things, aren’t they?” he says. “They put up quite a fight when we tried to separate them.”

“Why did you try to separate them?” Rapunzel asks, mortified.

King Frederic gives her a sympathetic smile. “They won’t say much,” he says. “We tried to get them alone, to maybe get some information from the older one. But that little one is a force to be reckoned with. She wouldn’t let us get within five feet of her without retaliating.”

“Retaliating?” Rapunzel asks, eyes on the younger girl. “Does she know how to use that sword?”

“Not well, but enough to keep people away,” her father replies, scratching his bearded chin thoughtfully. “She’s a little spitfire. Reminds me of Cassandra when she was young.”

Rapunzel flinches, and King Frederic catches it. He puts a hand on her shoulder and meets her gaze.

“We’ll get her back,” he says.

Rapunzel hesitates, all sorts of responses swirling unbidden in her mind. The one that comes out is the one that most frightens her. “What if she doesn’t want to come back?”

King Frederic doesn’t answer. He doesn’t need to, and that worries Rapunzel. She could barely handle the fact that her best friend betrayed her. How could she get through it if… she can’t finish the thought. Cassandra would come back.

She wasn’t evil, Rapunzel _knows_ it. But Varian… she doesn’t know why or how Cassandra convinced him to join her, but she doesn’t like it. He’s always liked Cass more than her, always has trusted her more. Does he still trust her? Would he stick by her decisions even if they’re the wrong ones?

Or would he help her? Could Varian do what Rapunzel was unable to do? Would he help Cassandra see the light again?

She doesn’t know, and that terrifies her.

Rapunzel nods weakly before steeling herself. “I want to talk to them,” she nods to the sisters, who sit placidly at the bench.

King Frederic hesitates.

Rapunzel says, “Please, Dad. They won’t hurt me. Even if they try, the guards are here. I’m perfectly safe.”

Her father locks eyes with the captain, who nods. Frederic bites his lip. “I called you down here to see how we conduct interrogations. Not for you to conduct one yourself.”

“It’ll be okay, Dad,” Rapunzel promises. “I’ll be queen one day. I’m going to have to learn eventually.”

He smiles. “You’ll be a great queen, my daughter.”

Rapunzel says, “I hope so.”

“You will. You’ll run this kingdom your way, whether I like it or not.”

Rapunzel startles her father by throwing her arms around him in a giant bear hug. “Thanks, Dad.”

He chuckles, putting his hand on the back of her head. “Just be careful, okay?”

She pulls away smiling. “It’ll be fine. You’ll be here and the guards aren’t going to let anything happen to me.”

She turns her gaze to the two sisters again, focusing on the guards surrounding them, their hands on the hilts of their swords and their positions taut. Rapunzel sighs. Cassandra should have been here. With them, protecting her from harm as she had always intended. Protecting _them_ \- her, her father and her mother. The royal family.

And if what her mother told her was true, they were the very kind of people the two girls from Dos Equus were trying to get away from.

That doesn’t stop Rapunzel from going to them.

The guards make to stop her from entering, and she stands her ground.

“Stand aside,” Rapunzel commands, putting a bit of queenly authority into her voice. To her surprise, they step away, allowing her passage to the girls. They stare at her as she approaches, the little one’s hand on the hilt of her sword.

Rapunzel offers up her best smile. “You don’t have to use that,” she says softly. “No one here’s going to hurt you.”

They say nothing, two pairs of doe eyes watching her suspiciously. The younger girl’s eyes betray her fear. They flick to the six guards watching them with trained eyes, and she cowers - just a little - into her sister. Rapunzel follows her gaze and purposefully waves them off.

“Your Highness-” the captain speaks up.

“I’ve changed my mind,” says Rapunzel. “Leave us.”

King Frederic’s eyes flash. “Rapunzel,” he says, tone stern.

She turns to look at him and pleads with her eyes. “Dad, _please._  You have to trust me on this. These girls won’t hurt me.”

They stay like that for a little while, her father and her at a stalemate, before her mother walks over and touches King Frederic’s shoulder. The kind queen whispers something into his ear that takes the defiance right out of him. He nods.

“My king,” the captain says. “With respect, we have no idea what these girls are capable of-”

“Listen to your future queen, Cap,” says King Frederic, and then to Raps, “I’m trusting you on this, Rapunzel. If I see one wrong move towards you, I’ll send them back down to apprehend them.”

“Dad!”

“I’m being generous on this, Rapunzel,” says her father. “Don’t push me.”

Rapunzel huffs. “Fine. Fine!”

King Frederic smiles at her spunk, and nods. He puts his arm in Arianna’s and makes to walk back to the castle, the guards in tow. The captain casts one last distrustful glance over his shoulder and makes to follow them.

Rapunzel sighs dramatically, brushing a hand through her hair. When she sees that they’re alone, she leaps up in victory. “Haha!” she laughs. “We did it! I did it, Pascal!” Pascal squeals happily, and Rapunzel gives her dearest companion a high five. “Not so bad for being locked in a tower for eighteen years, huh?”

The girls watch her with wide eyes. She quickly reigns herself back in, and kneels down to look them in the eyes. The younger girl’s grip tightens on the pommel of her thin sword, but she doesn’t make to unsheathe it. Rapunzel takes that as a good sign.

“We’re alone now,” she says softly. “Just you and me. Trust me, I won’t hurt you.”

The younger girl’s eyes move to curiously regard the chameleon on her shoulder. Then they flick back to Rapunzel, more questioning than wary now. The older one puts a protective hand on her sister’s shoulder.

Rapunzel takes the hint and gently takes Pascal from her shoulder, holding him out for them to see. Her oldest friend waves at them, and their already large eyes bug out of their heads. The younger one makes to touch Pascal’s head, and Rapunzel feels a small surge of affection as her friend croaks comfortingly to the little girl. The girl pats his head cautiously, only to pull back in terror as Pascal sticks out his long tongue to gather her scent. She meets Rapunzel’s gaze, surprised, and Rapunzel laughs.

The fear in the younger girl’s eyes is replaced by amusement as the princess laughs, and she tries again. This time, Pascal keeps still, allowing the tiny girl to play with him.

The older girl watches as well for awhile, meek as she is, and then she joins in, picking off little berries from the plants and feeding them to Pascal.

This time, both girls break out into peals of laughter as Pascal’s long tongue flicks out to take the berry from the older girl’s finger. The younger one laughs openly as he turns the same color as the berry.

They stay like that for awhile, Rapunzel watching from the sidelines as the sisters of Dos Equus play with the green chameleon.

Then the younger girl speaks up. “What’s his name?” she asks Rapunzel softly, petting Pascal on the head.

“Pascal,” Rapunzel replies gently. “He’s my best friend.”

The girl’s eyes go as wide as dinner plates. “You have a frog as your best friend?” she asks, her voice more bold.

The older one smacks her on the shoulder. “He’s a chameleon, dumb-butt,” she says. “See, he changes color. Frogs don’t do that.”

“Cha-me-le-on,” her sister tests out the syllables herself, smiling proudly when Rapunzel nods. Her curious doe-like eyes meet Rapunzel’s. “How long have you guys been best friends?”

Rapunzel pretends to think, tapping her finger on her chin. “Hmmmm,” she hums. “Let me think. Well I met Pascal when I was five years old.”

“How?” The little one asks.

“That’s a long story,” says Rapunzel. “Tell you what, how about you two tell me your names and I’ll tell you all about how I met Pascal.”

They exchange glances, the older one now suspicious. The younger one pleads with her eyes now, the sword at her side forgotten. It’s the little one that speaks next. “You promise you’re not gonna send us back?”

Rapunzel raises her hand. “Promise,” she says with a smile.

“And how do we know you’re not lying?” the older one asks suspiciously.

Rapunzel smiles, this moment oddly reminiscent of her first encounter with Eugene. “Because,” she says. “When I make a promise, I never _ever_ break that promise.” Unless it’s dire, like the situation with Varian had been, but the girls don’t have to know that. And besides, she really would never dream of harming them.

Pascal backs her up, nodding his agreement.

The sisters look at each other. “Never _ever_?” the younger one asks.

Rapunzel leans in, meeting her gaze unflinchingly. “Never ever,” she says.

They look at each other again.

“Deal,” the older one says at last, putting her hand out for Rapunzel to shake.

The princess extends her own hand, gripping the girl’s tightly in her own. She hopes the gesture promises safety, security, because she wouldn’t let these two suffer anymore than they already had. She had promised herself that before they had opened up to her.

“I’m Evie,” the older one says. “Evelyn, really, but you can call me Evie. This is Camille,” she motions to her younger sister, who pouts.

“Cami,” the little one corrects fiercely, an adorable scowl on her lips.

Rapunzel laughs. “Trust me, I hate my name too. I’m Rapunzel.”

Cami’s eyes grow wide as dinner plates. “You’re the lost princess,” she says. “We’ve heard about you, even in Dos Equus.”

Rapunzel smiles. “Oh really?” she says. “And what do they say about me in Dos Equus?”

Cami grins. “All sorts of stuff,” she says. “They say you were stolen as a baby. They say that a witch held you captive in a tower for years because you had magic hair.” She pointedly looks to Rapunzel’s golden hair, and reaches out to touch it. “It’s so long,” she says, and Evie snatches her hand back.

“Cami! You can’t just touch someone’s hair like that!”

“No, it’s okay,” Rapunzel reassures, and releases her hair from its confines, allowing Cami to stroke it. “I don’t mind, I like people touching my hair. Maybe you can braid it, if your sister lets you.”

Cami’s eyes widens. “Oh, really?!” she giggles, and touches her own abundant curls. “I can’t braid my hair or Evie’s. Too curly.”

“I can try to braid yours,” Rapunzel promises her. “Then we can be twins.”

Little Cami seems pleased with that. Her eyes go once again to Rapunzel. “So is it all true?” she asks hesitantly. “Did you really get taken as a baby by that witch lady? Does your hair really glow? Does your cha-me-le-on glow too?”

Rapunzel laughs as her voice becomes more and more bold. “Yes, it used to, and maybe. If you feed him something that glows.”

Cami seems keen on testing that last theory, searching around for something fluorescent to feed Pascal, but Evie stops her. “Cami, you can’t feed chameleons things that glow. Those are chemicals. They could kill him.”

“I’m with your sister on that one,” Rapunzel chimes in. “But if you want to know the full story behind me and my hair, then I’d be happy to share it with you.”

“Yeah!” Cami claps her hands. “Can you make it glow?”

Rapunzel shakes her head sadly. “I would if I could, Cami, but it doesn’t glow anymore.”

The girl tilts her head. “Why?”

“It’s all in the story if you still want to hear it.”

The girls nod eagerly, their identical doe brown eyes wide and attentive. Rapunzel clears her throat.

She tells them all she remembers, starting with the day she met Pascal. She tells them about how she saved him from a snake, healed him when he was close to death, and how they had been inseparable ever since. She tells them all about Mother Gothel (“The Red Witch...” Cami whispers in recognition before she’s promptly shushed by her big sister.). Tells them of the tower she lived in, and the floating lights in the sky that appeared every night on her birthday. How she felt deep in her bones that they were meant for her.

She tells them of the swashbuckling, handsome rogue that was Flynn Rider. Of how she hit him over the head with the frying pan and forced him to take her to see the lights for her eighteenth birthday.

With a little difficulty, she tells them how hard it was to leave the tower, of how she kept wanting to go back but also how she dearly wanted to see the world around her. She told them of the Ugly Duckling - the thugs who just wanted to have a dream - and of the horse, Maximus. She told them of how she healed Flynn Rider’s hand, of how he confessed to her that his name was actually Eugene Fitzherbert. Cami had gotten a kick out of that (“That name’s so lame!”).

Rapunzel tells the sisters about Old Corona, how the people here are some of the kindest she had ever met. She tells them of her adventures here with Eugene. Of the drawings she had done in the streets, how she had dragged Eugene with her from stand to stand - wanting to see everything the kingdom had to offer.

She even tells them about the kingdom dance, and how she had begun falling in love with her companion as he showed her the sights of the world (“Ewwww, nasty!” Cami had stuck out her tongue, only to be shushed yet again by Evie.)

Then she told them about the lanterns. How they were so much more than she had expected.

“Can we see the lanterns one day, Rapunzel?” Cami asks.

Evie rolls her eyes. “Cami, Rapunzel is a _princess_. You’re supposed to address her as “your highness’.”

Cami sputters. “Oops! I mean: can we see the lanterns one day, _Y_ _our Highness?_ ”

Rapunzel laughs. “Rapunzel is fine,” she reassures Evie, who smiles. The princess nudges Cami playfully, eliciting a sharp giggle from the little girl. “Though my friends call me Raps sometimes.”

Once they quiet down again, Rapunzel launches back into her story. She tells them quickly about The Red Witch’s return; of the plot to rid her of Eugene Fitzherbert and whisk her back to the tower unharmed and unaware of her love’s fate. She says how she thought he had betrayed her, and shares her feelings on the subject - none of which were very pleasant.

Cami and Evie listen intently as Rapunzel continues. Of how she slowly began to realize the truth of her heritage and how she turned on Mother Gothel. She tells them how Mother Gothel had tied her up, intending to take her away forever and make her a slave. They don’t seem too keen on that word, but Rapunzel’s pleased to know that Cami is on her side, for the little girl’s eyes fill with anger as she hears how Rapunzel was treated.

“Did Eugene come back to save the day?” Evie asks.

“Of course!” Rapunzel says with a light hearted wink. “He was amazing, climbing up the tower so fast I was scared he was gonna fall. Mother Gothel stabbed him, you see, when he got to the top, and I was faced with a choice.”

“What choice?” Cami asks.

“Save him and go willingly with Mother Gothel, or let him die.”

“You saved him, right?” Evie chimes in. “Don’t tell me he dies!”

“Well, kinda,” says Rapunzel. “I pleaded with Mother Gothel for his life, and she agreed when I promised to go with him. And as you know-”

“You never ever break promises,” Cami nods. “I remember.”

Rapunzel bites back a smile. “Exactly. But Eugene wasn’t going to go down without a fight. He grabbed a shard of glass from the floor and cut my hair.”

“But that means…” Evie trails off, uncertain.

Rapunzel nods. “Mhm,” she says. “It turned brown and lost all its power. Mother Gothel got all old and tripped on my fallen hair, thanks to Pascal here. She fell out the window.”

“And she’s dead now, right?”

“Yes, Cami, she’s dead now,” Rapunzel reassures. “But unfortunately, Eugene was dying too. I tried to heal him, but the magic was gone. It didn’t work.”

“He died?!” they cry in unison.

Rapunzel smiles softly. “He did, but that’s not the end of the story. You see, I cried for him. A single tear fell on his face, and the wound on his chest healed. We confessed our love, we kissed and we went home. I got to meet my real parents and now I’m here.”

Evie looks thoughtful. “But you have long blonde hair,” she points out. “Did it come back?”

Rapunzel holds herself back. “Yes,” she says. “But that’s a story for another time.”

They look saddened by this, so Rapunzel proposes something else.

“Hey, are you guys hungry?” Rapunzel asks. “I could go for something to eat myself. How about we head in the castle and I get you guys some food, huh?”

“Really?” Cami looks as if all her dreams have come true.

“Really,” Rapunzel says. “C’mon. The guards won’t hurt you. If they do, I’ll whack them over the head with a frying pan.”

Evie laughs. “A frying pan?”

“Don’t knock it ‘till you try it,” Rapunzel says, rising from her sitting position. “It really is a formidable weapon. Like your sister’s sword there.”

Pascal climbs up on Cami’s shoulder and nudges her face. The little girl squeals with delight, crooning nonsense words to the poor chameleon. “I’ve killed a guy with this sword,” the girl says a bit too happily. “Have you killed anyone with your frying pan?”

“Not yet,” says Rapunzel. “But I’d only do that if it was the last option.”

“Me too,” Cami agrees. “Our master was trying to drag Evie back to the house. He was dragging her by her hair. I stuck his own sword through his eye and we ran.”

Rapunzel feels a stab of sympathy for the poor girls. Just how much _have_ they been through?

“I promise you, you won’t need to kill anyone for a long time. I’ll keep you safe.”

Rapunzel feels a soft swirl of affection as Cami and Evie follow her inside, Cami slipping her small hand in Rapunzel’s. As they walk back inside, Rapunzel catches a glance of her father standing on the balcony looking out at them. When he meets Rapunzel’s gaze, King Frederic smiles and bows to her respectfully. This makes Rapunzel’s heart soar.

“Make up one of the guest rooms for me, okay?” she asks Stan and Pete when she meets them at the door.

“One, Your Highness?” Stan asks, his gaze flicking between the two scrawny girls hiding behind Rapunzel.

“Yes, one,” Rapunzel confirms. “They’d like to stay together. And if you could find one close to my own quarters, that would be great.”

Stan and Pete bow. “Yes, Princess,” says Stan.

Rapunzel can feel the guards’ gaze on them as she brings the girls into the castle. She pays no mind to it. She will be queen one day, and gods help her - she’ll be the kind of queen who is there for her people.

~

Varian couldn’t sleep. Try as he may, he couldn’t stop thinking about those men, and of Cassandra. She had saved him from them, but she couldn’t protect him forever. If he was to be of any use to her, he would need to learn how to protect himself.

So this is how he finds himself, snatching one of the swords the smugglers had left behind and heading outside. He starts the fire with ease - Cassandra had at least taught him how to properly start a fire - and holds the sword in his grip, testing its weight.

“What are you doing?”

He whirls around to meet Cassandra’s fluorescent gaze, her eyes burning like blue embers in the light of the fire. He notices too that the moonstone on her chest glows as well - producing its own special light.

Varian hates that moonstone, despite all that it’s done to keep him alive. He hates it with all his being. Someday, he promises himself, he would free her from it, and she’d be the Cassandra he once knew.

She raises an eyebrow. “Varian,” she says in the tone that means no nonsense. “What are you doing with that sword?”

He swings it experimentally at a tree, wincing at the sound it makes. “Practicing!” he says.

“Practicing what? Ways to die?” she’s besides him in three long strides. “That is no way to hold a sword. And you don’t get better swinging at a tree.”

“So how am I going to get better?”

She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. Then, quick as a whip, she unsheathes her own sword and jabs him once in the chest. “Dead,” she says, raising an eyebrow. Varian looks up at her, confused, and Cassandra rolls her eyes. “Obviously, I’m going to teach you,” she says. At his startled look, she blinks. “What, you think I’m going to let you continue hacking at that tree all night? I’ll never get any sleep. Now shut up and listen to me.”

Varian does as she says, and she nods, pleased.

“First things first. Stance. Stand ready. Keep your body loose and your feet planted. But not too planted - you need to be ready for anything, and fighting requires moving. You don’t see an expert swordsman standing in one place.”

Varian tries what she says. He plants his feet, loosening his legs.

“Good,” Cassandra nods in approval. “Now the grip. Don’t hold it like that; that’s too tight. Your sword has to be a part of your arm: you let go of it and you lose your arm, got it?”

Varian nods.

“Okay,” says Cassandra. “Okay.”

Varian looks at her. “Now what?”

Cassandra gives him a wicked grin that only slightly terrifies him. “Now we begin,” she says, and launches herself into battle mode.

Cassandra is a brutal teacher, but Varian had expected nothing less from her. She doesn’t go easy on him, yelling until Varian’s tired of the word “dead”. They continue their little dance for a long time. Before long, Varian’s muscles grow tired, even some he didn’t know existed.

Cassandra continues her assault, and he tries to block her attacks, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing. As the fire rages behind them, Varian and Cassandra exchange blows, the sound of swords clashing lulling him into a trance. His bones sing with adrenaline.

He falls asleep easily that night.


	9. the predicament

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re back! Sorry for the wait, but I needed a little push to get me through this chapter. I fully intend on continuing this story.

Eugene misses Rapunzel.

Not that he doesn’t like Lance, and respect Adira. He does. But they’re not Rapunzel. They don’t have long golden hair that he could braid for hours without getting bored. They don’t have a perpetually sunny disposition, or intelligent green eyes, or a bright smile. They call him out on his bullshit - mostly Adira, but he digresses - as Rapunzel did, but not as gently.

“Stop brooding over there, Fish Skin. It’s not becoming of you.”

Ugh. He misses Rapunzel.

“Better do what the lady says, my man,” Lance says.

“Stop taking her side!” says Eugene. “You’re just saying that because-”

Lance gives him a glare, which Adira rolls her eyes to. “Oh please,” she says. “I’m old enough to be your mother. Took care of this one when he was little,” she gestures to Eugene, who blinks. “You had the cutest little butt, Fish Skin.”

Eugene sputters in outrage while Lance cracks up. “A-Adira! What the hell?!”

The mysterious assassin shrugs. “It’s true. Can’t say the same now, but I’m sure Rapunzel would be quick to defend me. Bet she knows better than I do.”

Lance roars at that. Eugene punches him in the arm and glares at Adira. “Don’t you have anything better to do than bait me?!”

Adira, as subtly amused as ever, bites back a grin, emotion shining in her dark eyes. “Nope. Not really. Rapunzel told us to head down to Old Corona and see what all the fuss is about. She never said I couldn’t piss you off.”

“And why the hell would you want to do that?” 

“It’s fun,” says Adira. “Obviously.”

Eugene rolls his eyes. “Lance? Back me up on this?”

“No way, man,” he says matter of factly. “I like you, really, I do. But Adira has a point.”

Eugene narrows his eyes. “What?!” he cries incredulously. “No she doesn’t! What would that point even be?!”

“That irritating the shit out of you is fun,” his friend says cheekily. Adira nods sagely in agreement, and Eugene, annoyed that he’s being ganged up on, keeps walking, grumbling miserably to himself.

“Let’s just go to Old Corona, find the kid and the viper lady and drag them back to Blondie,” says Eugene. Adira sidles up to his side, smirking widely. Eugene rolls his eyes. Crazy tall person.

Adira seems right at home on the road, as if it was what she was meant to do. Her strides are lengthy and her eyes chipper, shiny with muted but visible excitement. It was different than Rapunzel’s excitement - which was bubbly and uncontained, like it was an entity of its own, trapped in Rapunzel’s slight body. Adira’s excitement was subtle, grounded like the earth, but moving all the same. He wants to be happy for her, but reminds himself that she calls him ‘ _Fish-Skin’_ and that desire dies immediately. Eugene goes back to brooding.

“So Cassandra’s gone crazy,” Lance breaks the unsteady silence, walking alongside Adira and Eugene, his arms swinging casually at his side. “Can’t say I never expected that. She’s always been a bit unstable.”

Eugene stares at his friend. “Lance, you were there. You better know what happened. I’d be real disappointed if you zoned out, amigo.”

Adira chimes in, “You don’t need to break the silence with things we already know. It’s pointless, tiring and annoying.”

“Yeah, what she said,” says Eugene, and sticks his tongue out at Lance.

Adira rolls her eyes. “That was pointless, tiring and annoying too,” she quips, to which Eugene grumbles his irritation.

They walk for what seems like an hour, with Lance and Eugene following behind their tall companion. Lance and Eugene enjoy some interesting conversation, some of which Adira chimes into, others of which she merely ignores, but mostly, he and Lance spar with words while Adira walks alone ahead, rolling her eyes and scoffing secretively to herself. Eugene trusts her, he really does, mostly because Rapunzel trusts her so completely but also because she had saved their lives more times than he can count. If only she wasn’t so prickly and weird, then he would have liked her.

They stop at a clearing, where Adira perks her head up, her eyes catching something before them, and turns to face her companions. Lance had been going on and on about something Eugene wasn’t paying attention to, and when Eugene stops, he runs into him. Eugene whirls on him.

“Dude, watch where you’re going!”

“Oh, come on,” Lance says. “You weren’t even listening to me!”

“Uhhh…” Eugene struggles to come up with a response. “Yeah, I was.”

Lance crosses his arms. “Oh really? What was I talking about?”

Eugene draws a blank. _Fuck._ “Your undying love for Adira?”

Lance throws his hands up. “Man, I knew you weren’t listening! I was talking about my day yesterday. You know, when I went to the Snuggly Duckling?”

Eugene rolls his eyes. “Oh that must have been interesting,” he says sarcastically.

“Okay, enough,” Adira silences them both with a firm glare. “I don’t care. Really, I don’t. We’re on a mission, boneheads, and you are slowing me down.”

“Oh, come on!” Eugene cries. “What are we even doing?! We’ve been looking for what seems like fucking hours! No Varian, no Cassandra. They’re not here!”

“No,” Adira agrees. “But they were.”

“And how do you know?” Eugene asks, regarding her. “You have some super special power or something? No? Thought not.”

Adira quirks an eyebrow, but doesn’t rise to the jab, which annoys Eugene somewhat. “No,” she says again. “I know because of that.” She points through the trees, and Eugene and Lance follow her finger. They creep up to the treeline and get a closer look at what she sees.

The buildings of Old Corona are now in view, not luxurious like the castle, but homely in their own way, lining the main road that leads from the forest into the center of the town. People are scattered there, walking and talking pleasantly to each other. But that’s not what Adira’s pointing to. Eugene opens his mouth to say something, but comes up empty. He and Lance exchange a quick, uneasy glance.

The rocks, the ones that had plagued this town for nearly a year, spreading like wildfire, had vanished, leaving almost no trace behind save for the holes in the ground where they had previously been. Adira, without saying anything, heads into Old Corona, leaving Eugene and Lance with no choice but to follow her.

They find her standing above one of the holes, peering down into it. Lance and Eugene come up behind her and follow her lead. Eugene’s startled to see nothing at all. A sleek hole takes the place of the rock that had once been there, and yet, there’s no rock to be found. Just a seemingly endless tunnel that extends beyond sight. Eugene shudders.

“There’s only two people who can control the rocks,” says Adira, her brown eyes meeting Eugene’s. “And something tells me that Rapunzel didn’t do this.”

Eugene goes cold with the sudden realization. “She was here.”

Lance shakes his head. “That doesn’t make any sense,” he says. “Why would she remove the rocks if she wants to take over Corona?”

Adira puts a finger on her chin. “No,” she says.

“No?” Eugene repeats. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Adira glares at him. “She wouldn’t do this if she wanted to take over Corona. If she wanted Corona, she would have taken it by now. The moonstone’s power has always been too much for people in the past. Those I’ve known who took it died in a week at most, and Cassandra shouldn’t be an exception. If she knew the dire situation she’s put herself into, she’d want to do whatever she wants to do quickly, but… she isn’t. She’s biding her time. Moving slowly, methodically almost. It’s… strange,” she admits finally.

“It’s been almost a week,” Eugene says carefully. “You think Cass is still out there?”

“I… I don’t know,” Adira admits reluctantly. “If she is, then she’s probably in pain. At least she should be, if what I have to go on is anything. People aren’t meant to have so much power; it’s unnatural.”

“She has a plan,” Lance chimes in. “She has to. Right?” he looks to Eugene and Adira for reassurance. Eugene opens his mouth to offer something… anything, but Adira beats him to it.

“I’m not sure. Probably, but I can’t say for sure.” She frowns. “She should have come back by now. If I was Cassandra, and the moonstone’s power was raging inside of me, I’d have come back to the place that was most familiar. To seek help.”

“But she’s obviously not here,” says Eugene. “No one’s seen her in nearly a week. Do you think she’s suffering out there?”

“Again, Fish-Skin, I have no idea,” Adira doesn’t look happy to not know something with complete certainty. “I’ve never seen someone who can withstand the power of the moonstone. Not even Rapunzel.” She shudders, and Eugene flinches as well, remembering that time she almost died using that damn incantation. “But if I’m wrong, and Cassandra _can_ handle that kind of power…” she trails off, a glint of fear in her usually impassive brown eyes.

“But this is _Cassandra_ ,” Eugene says desperately. “There’s no way she can. She’s not the sundrop.”

Adira furrows her brow. “We need to find her,” she says. “First and foremost.”

“How? We’re going to track her? No offense, but Lance and I aren’t trackers.”

“Obviously,” Adira snorts. “No. I’m going alone. You two are going to go back to the castle with Rapunzel. See if you can find anymore information on the moonstone, the sundrop and maybe Cassandra. I’ll be back as soon as I can, hopefully with answers.”

“What?!” Lance cries. “No way! You can’t go by yourself, it’s too dangerous!”

Adira quirks an eyebrow. “Oh? And I need some valiant knight to protect me?”

Lance puffs up his chest, and wiggles his eyebrows. “Well I wasn’t going to say _that,_ ” he says.

Adira rolls her eyes. “Please,” she scoffs. “If you went with me, you’d be slowing me down.”

Eugene sighs. He wants to help Adira, he really does, but the other, stronger part of him is dying to get back to the castle. To see her again, to see her smile and laugh and tease him mercilessly. To be with her. He sighs again, for dramatic effect, and turns to face his lifelong friend. “Can’t believe I’m saying this,” he rubs his temples. “But Adira’s right. She has a better chance of finding them if she goes alone.”

Lance looks at him in bewilderment. “What?”

“C’mon, man, what could we possibly do to help her out here?” he asks. “The woman has a sword made out of those goddamn rocks, for hell’s sake! She can handle herself. She doesn’t need us slowing her down.” Adira looks at him in surprise. He ignores her, his fragile ego already shrunk from admitting she was right. He doesn’t need her “I told you so’s”. “We need to think of the greater good,” he continues. “If we’re going to find Cass, Adira’s our best chance.”

“I found you all,” Adira chimes in. “Many times.”

“True,” Eugene grumbles.

Adira grins at his admittance, but she says nothing. Eugene’s grateful for her silence. Lance still looks between the two of them, hesitant. Eugene rolls his eyes at his friend’s stubbornness.

“Dude, you know this is right. Don’t even try to deny it.”

Lance grimaces, but he nods. Then he turns to Adira, a strange softness in his gaze. “Okay,” he says at last. “Bring her home.”

Adira smiles. “I can’t promise that,” she says. “I can’t promise you that she’ll be alive either. But I swore an oath to Princess Rapunzel, and I - can’t believe I’m saying this - but I… care about you all. You’re good people, albeit quite irritating and stubborn. I’ll do what I can.”

Eugene nods. “Thank you.”

Adira looks at him oddly, her eyes shining with an emotion Eugene can’t entirely place. Acceptance? Respect? “You’re welcome,” she says with a small secretive smile, and bows with a small flourish. “Your highness.”

Before Eugene has a chance to open his mouth in reply, the strange warrior woman turns and walks back into the forest, her figure soon disappearing behind the trees. Eugene stares at the place she had been, no trace that she was ever there to begin with. He shakes his head, shaking off the oddness of the encounter, and laughs half-heartedly.

“What a weirdo,” he says, and Lance shrugs.

~

Adira feels immediately better upon leaving the two men behind. She has nothing against them, likes them even, but she can’t help but enjoy the feeling of solitude again. She’s always been an independent person, feeling freer and happier in her own presence than with others. Adira smiles to herself, at one with the forest and its inhabitants. She allows herself to lose herself for a moment, just feeling the ground beneath her feet and the wind through her hair, before setting herself to her purpose. 

Find Cassandra. Yes, she would find Cassandra.

Rapunzel is kind, meaning well, although severely lacking the diplomacy and poise of royalty that her parents have. Adira has never truly met anyone like Rapunzel, not really. The girl really is sun incarnate; she realized that soon after meeting her. She has an air around her, like a perpetual happiness, a force of light and spontaneity. One of the things that had originally drawn Adira to Rapunzel was her light. She had heard that the sundrop had taken a human form, had felt it those years ago, but she had never expected her to be so… naively kind, so pure.

Adira, like all those before her, was drawn to her, to Rapunzel’s inexplicable light and kindness. She had sworn that she’d never pledge herself to anyone other than King Edmund, back when the Dark Kingdom was prosperous, and King Edmund a force to be reckoned with, but she had been curious when she learned of Rapunzel’s existence. There had been hope there too, that maybe, just maybe, Rapunzel was the person the prophecy was referring to. That she was the neutralizing force.

It made sense. The sundrop and the moonstone would come together as one and the darkness that had been awakened all those years ago would be stopped.

She stood by her thoughts when following Rapunzel and her friends, learning what she could about them. Rapunzel was the sundrop - she had been back when the Red Witch held her captive and she still was now. The fact that her hair had grown back when she had touched the rocks only gave more credit to the theory that she had the potential to be both sun and moon.

Her friends, Adira had to admit, she never really payed much attention to. Lance and Eugene were foolish, loyal, but foolish, and Shorty had barely seemed lucid. Cassandra had not intrigued her much, but perhaps that was because Adira knew little to nothing about her. She seemed to always have a chip on her shoulder, and was cold where Rapunzel was warm, prickly where Rapunzel was kind. In hindsight, Adira should have realized just how perfectly the two complimented each other, how Cassandra seemed to foil Rapunzel so easily.

Adira had to admit, she had never expected Cassandra to betray Rapunzel. The other woman was thorny and cold, yes, but Adira admired loyalty, and Cassandra was loyal to a fault. At least she appeared to be. 

Adira would never forget the way Cassandra used to look at Rapunzel, nor would she forget the day Cassandra took the stone. She remembers the look on Rapunzel’s face and the icy blue stare of her former best friend. Adira had been shocked, like everyone else had been, but she hid it well. This was just a hiccup in the plan. It had to be. The prophecy pointed to _Rapunzel_ , not Cassandra, and yet, the other woman just… snatched the most powerful object out of the air without thinking. Perhaps Adira had underestimated her. Perhaps she was underestimating her now.

 _No_ , she shakes her head. There was no way the moonstone had accepted Cassandra. Adira had seen what transpired many times before. Sometimes, the stone had thrown people away as it had King Edmund, and other times, for reasons unknown, it had allowed others to take its power, to use it for their own gain. But all times, the stone grew tired of its hosts. In time, they all had fallen. None had been worthy of that kind of power.

She still thinks that Rapunzel is the only one capable of hosting the moonstone. There’s no way Cassandra is still out there, and if she is, Adira’s certain her health is failing her, just as it did all others who tried to take the moonstone’s power.

 _But what if you’re wrong?_ Adira questions herself. _You said it yourself, Cassandra compliments Rapunzel perfectly. She’s cold where Rapunzel is warmth, she’s dark where Rapunzel is light. Rapunzel_ is _the sun - cheery and kind, warming those around her. Why then would Cassandra not be the moon?_

No, she shakes her head again and keeps walking. The prophecy was about Rapunzel. It’s always been about Rapunzel.

But Adira can’t help but acknowledge that she’s missing something. Something important. She had seen how Cass and Rapunzel had interacted. Nothing ever pointed to betrayal. No, Cassandra would have only betrayed Rapunzel if she had a reason. Or maybe, some knowledge. Something Cassandra learned that Adira didn’t know.

Which only brings Adira back to the task at hand. Find Cassandra. If she finds Cassandra, finds her alive, she would find her answers. The woman keeps walking, her adept eyes searching for anything out of the ordinary. Cassandra’d have to have left something; no one leaves nothing behind. But she sees nothing. Undeterred, Adira heads down a different path, deeper into the woods.

Just who is this woman? Rapunzel’s best friend. Who is she really? Adira can safely say that she has no idea.

So many questions and so little answers. Cassandra, someone seemingly normal, snaps for no reason. Why? She takes the moonstone and flees. Why? Sneaks into the prison and takes Quirin’s son. Why? What’s so special about the boy? Why would he go with her when he outright refused Rapunzel’s help?

Adira hates not knowing, but she cannot say she doesn’t like the mystery.

All she can say with certainty is that there is something about Rapunzel’s friend. Something that she’s determined to get to the bottom of. _Who are you?_ She thinks. _What makes you special?_  

Maybe it’s nothing, and the girl’s simply an idiot. Maybe she was like all the others, seeking the moonstone for power not realizing the consequences. Maybe this was all a waste of time, searching for her when she’s already dead somewhere in these woods.

But there’s the slightest chance that she’s not.

Which brings Adira back to her original question.

_Who are you, Cassandra? Just who are you?_

And miracle upon miracles, Adira makes her first breakthrough. The barest remnants of footprints in the mud, slightly washed away from the rain. Adira kneels down and takes a better look. Two sets are visible - the slight ones of a woman and the bigger ones of a male. And if she looks closer, she can see animal prints. Raccoon paws.

She smirks. _Bingo._ Adira follows them, her sharp eyes quickly noticing other telltale signs that the two had been here. The trees are parted, forming a trail, and Adira’s fingers come upon a single blue strand of hair. Cassandra’s hair had been blue when she had first grabbed the moonstone; Adira remembers seeing her, running to Rapunzel’s aid when she had seen the blue lightning. But as Cassandra fled, her hair faded back to black. But the boy… she smirks, remembering the brief time she met the boy. He’d had a blue streak in his hair.

She continues down the path, following the footprints for what seems to be forever, before she finally catches sight of her next clue. A brown tarp underneath stray branches and twigs, accompanied by a scent Adira would never mistake anywhere.

She swears aloud as she approaches the tarp, anxiety displacing her calm confidence. She knows what’s underneath the tarp, and has a pretty good idea of who was responsible. It scares her; she had a feeling Cassandra had gray morals, but she didn’t know she was capable of this.

Sure enough, when Adira uncovers the tarp, she doubles back, gagging from the smell, and plugs her nose before getting a closer look. The man underneath has been dead for what seems to be a few days, meaning they had been here a little while ago. Adira takes note of the slash on his neck and easily pictures Cassandra committing the act. She swears again, and covers him back up with the tarp, promising herself that she’d come back and give him a proper burial once Cass and Varian are found.

Not for the first time, Adira wonders who the kid is, and what he’s doing with Cassandra. His father had been Quirin, who Adira had known very well. Varian’s father was a quiet man, soft but well spoken, and always hesitant when it came to violence. His talents were better suited for diplomacy, so he helped work alongside King Edmund more often than she or Hector did.

Adira wonders if Varian was in any way similar to his father. Quirin always saw the good in people, maybe his son had the same quality. It would explain why he was with Cassandra.

She follows the footsteps to another clearing. A camping spot, perhaps? Adira looks closely at the footprints, noting that only one set is visible now. Adira frowns. Did Cassandra go on without Varian? She doesn’t think she would, considering all the trouble she went through to break him out. Adira follows Cassandra’s footprints to a tree, but her puzzlement only increases when she begins to see the tracks of a caravan. Cassandra’s tracks follow it, and so does Adira.

 _Who are you? What’s so special about_ you _, Lady Cassandra?_

~

Varian’s getting better with the sword. It’s the second day since Cassandra rescued him, and he has to say, though the stolen caravan isn’t as nice as he’d like it to be, it’s much easier and quicker to ride than to walk. And he’s been in a prison cell for the past few months. He’s hardly in a place to complain.

They’re camped out again for the night, and as the sun sets, he and Cassandra train. She never goes easy on him, which he partially resents, though a greater part of him knows that her harshness is necessary. As Cassandra tells him often: in a real fight, no one goes easy. You win or you die.

Harsh advice, but Varian expects nothing less from Cassandra.

He attempts to parry one of her blows, but this one is stronger than the others. She moves in a way that confuses him, and then strikes at his blind spot. He focuses on her eyes, two blue spots in the darkness, but she evades him and his parry is rendered useless. The sheer force of her swing knocks his swords from his hands. His head snaps to it as it flies through the air and falls to his left, and then he realizes his mistake.

Cassandra grabs him from behind and holds her sword at the base of his neck. “Dead,” she says, and then releases him swiftly, as quickly as she swung her sword. He turns to face her, a grin that has become more and more common easily curling his lips.

“Damn it, Cassandra!” he laughs. “Just when I thought I was getting better.”

She doesn’t smile, but Varian can see the warmth melting her usually icy gaze, and he inwardly considers that a victory. “You are getting better,” she says. “But it’s only been a few days. No one becomes a master swordsman in a day.”

Varian swings the sword, trying to flip it as easily as Cassandra. He fails and tumbles gracelessly trying to catch the sword. When he scrambles to his feet, he sheepishly scratches the back of his head. “Heh,” he chuckles. “I totally meant to do that.”

Cassandra furrows her eyebrows and he sees the beginnings of a smile. “Uh huh, sure,” she says, throwing her sword over her shoulder. “You wanna go again?”

“No!” Varian cries, then laughs awkwardly at Cassandra’s startled expression. He rubs the back of his neck. “I mean… sure! Yeah, let’s go again.”

Cassandra fixes him with a pointed look. He laughs again, and points his sword playfully towards her.

“Ongard!” Varian exclaims, fixing his stance and flipping his hair. 

Cassandra stares at him.

Undeterred, Varian tries again, prodding her with the sword tip. “On….gard!”

He sees the beginning of a smile forming on Cassandra’s lips and inwardly fistpumps. Then he’s caught off guard, and the warm smile that he had worn was wiped away. Cassandra lunges for him expertly with her sword and Varian barely has time to parry. The sword vibrates in his grip, a side-effect from Cassandra’s quick thrust.

“Hey!” Varian cries, getting into the swing of their familiar dance yet again. He thrusts, and she blocks. “No fair! I wasn’t ready!”

Cass smirks. “You know kid,” she grunts. “Usually when people yell ‘ongard’, that means they’re ready.” She tries to swing at his legs and Varian quickly sidesteps. Not gracefully, but he’s still working on it. Cass swings her sword in a powerful arc down and he just barely blocks.

Varian says, “Yeah, well you’re not taking into account the fact that sometimes people say that for dramatic effect!” He swings, she blocks and dances quickly out of range of his next attempted assault. 

Cassandra laughs, a delightful mirth filled laugh that rings through the air and makes his heart soar.

Varian laughs in triumph, pumping his fist in the air. _Victory!_

Unfortunately, Cassandra takes advantage of his distraction, and leaps at him. She knocks him to the floor and they go tumbling together. Cass looks for a moment, just as shocked as he was, and once she realizes how close they are, she scrambles away. Varian’s laughing too hard to be offended, and Cassandra notices. She frowns.

“What’s so funny?”

Varian grins, meeting her gaze. “I made you laugh.”

Cass looks confused, just sitting there on her knees. “What?”

Varian says, “Made you laugh.”

Cassandra shakes her head, looking at Varian like she hopes he’s not serious. “That was what you were trying to do?” she asks, and snickers again, this time in disbelief. “You’re hopeless.”

“I know!” Varian chirps, and Cass rolls her eyes, still shaking her head. “It’s great. You need some fun on this trip. It’d be dry and angsty if I weren’t here.”

Cass smiles thinly. “And if I weren’t here, you’d be dead,” she points out.

Varian nods sagely. “True, true,” he says. And then he remembers something. Something she had said to him a long time ago. Before he can stop his mouth from running, he says, “Cassandra?”

She looks at him, confusion evident in her piercing blue eyes. “Yeah?

 _No turning back now._ Insecurity fills him. One present even from the first time he met her. “A… a year ago,” he presses his fingers together, grinning sheepishly.

Cassandra waves her hand impatiently. “Come on, kid, you’re never one to be shy. Ask me.”

This eases Varian a bit. Perhaps it’s even part of an answer to his question. “Do you remember the second time we met?” he starts again. “A year ago when you saved me at the science expo?”

Cassandra says, “I remember.”

Varian nods. “You told me you were my friend then,” he looks at her, hurt lacing his tone. “And now, you freed me, saved me and trained me. Are we… friends?”

Cassandra blinks, apparently surprised by the question. Her eyes flicker with emotion for a moment before she speaks. “I did consider you a friend then,” Cassandra admits. “You helped me. Saw me, even. No one had ever taken the time to notice me,” she tucks a dark curl behind her ear. “I… didn’t know how to handle it.”

Varian shakes his head, confused. If she had really been his friend, she would have stood by him. She would have helped him find a way to free his dad. 

“If you considered me a friend, then why did you turn against me?” he asks softly.

Cassandra’s eyes widen, and then they harden. “Because you tried to kill the queen!” she cries. “Varian… that’s a capital offense!”

“Like you care about capital offenses!” Varian shoots back. “You stole the damn moonstone!”

Cassandra’s fluorescent eyes flash. Then they die just as quickly. “You betrayed me just like you thought I betrayed you,” she says with conviction. 

He can tell she’s seen the shock colored with shame that fills his eyes. He hadn’t even considered… “Cassandra, I hadn’t even-”

Cassandra snaps, “What? Realized that I considered you a friend back then?” He looks at her, in shock, and the blazing fire in her eyes dulls to a soft blue ember. Cassandra sighs, running a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry,” she says. “That did get angsty fast.”

Varian doesn’t respond. What can he say except- “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to try to hurt Queen Arianna! I didn’t mean to try to kill you! I… Cassandra, I’m so sorry.”

Cass softens visibly and then hardens just as quickly. She looks away, her blue eyes smouldering. Blue like the summer sky. Or the warmth of an extremely hot flame. “Thank you,” she says.

Before she has a chance to attempt escape, Varian asks her, “And my original question?”

Cassandra looks at him. “What?”

“I asked you if we were friends, remember?” Varian says matter of factly. “Not then. Now. You freed me, saved my life and continue to protect me. Why? Part of your elaborate scheme?” He knows that last comment was harsh, but he had to know. And if he was to get Cassandra to listen, he had to surprise her.

Cassandra doesn’t look surprised. She’s nearly inscrutable, her eyes locked like iron doors. “No,” she says.

“No, what?” Varian presses.

Her eyes flash angrily at being bombarded by questions. “No,” she says again. “It’s not part of an _elaborate scheme.”_

“Then why?” Varian insists. “Why go through all that trouble?”

“I do need you,” Cassandra snaps. “But you’re not just a pawn, Varian, you’re a person. I’m may be a monster, but I’m still human. I still… like company.”

“So-”

“That’s enough, Varian.” Cassandra puts an end to his ranting questions with a seething glare.

He shuts down, rendered oddly shy by Cassandra’s piercing eyes, burning like blue fire. Cassandra looks away, eyes unreadable.

“We’re done for the day,” she says, beginning to head back to the caravan. Varian watches her back, meeting her eyes when she casts one final glance behind her before disappearing into the caravan.

His mind races, and before he knows it, he’s following her, intent on getting an answer, regardless of what that answer may be.


	10. team co-ladies in waiting

Cassandra is furious.

How dare he ask her that? Were they friends? Yes. Yes, they were friends. They had been friends at least, back when things were simpler. When he had been a happy go lucky boy and she was just a woman trying to find her place in the world. They were weird friends, the weirdest of friends, but they had been friends. In fact, Cass, should she have to admit, had grown to admire the boy. After all, _she_ was the one he turned to. _She_ was the friend he had valued. For once, Cass was not second to Rapunzel. Varian had wanted _her_ as his assistant. Varian had put her first.

That had changed at an instant. Everything changed when Quirin was overtaken. When the amber swallowed him whole and Varian was left alone. Cass had turned away from him, she wasn’t going to tell herself otherwise, but what else could she have done without betraying the people she had grown to call family? 

She had chosen Rapunzel’s side, which he had seen as a betrayal, and then he had tried to kill the queen.

Cass had pondered that for two days. The fact that this kind, sweet, innocent young boy could snap that quickly had boggled her mind. She hadn’t felt the ache of betrayal then, only a righteous furious anger that had seethed inside of her. _How dare he?_ she remembers thinking. _How dare he take all they had given him, all the kindness Rapunzel had shown him, and throw it back at their feet?_ Cass remembers Rapunzel’s despair, her guilt over what had happened to Varian, but what was she to do? 

Rapunzel couldn’t have done anything, Cass remembers. She had a kingdom to run, and though she always keeps her promises, or aspires to, she couldn’t have abandoned her people in that snowstorm. Varian was just one person, and no matter how much guilt she felt over him, she had to choose the majority.

But then it had gotten personal. Varian had tried to kill _her._ Cass remembers the feel of that cold metal hand crushing her. She remembers feeling like a trapped animal, face to face with death. She remembers feeling helpless - powerless - and she doesn’t ever want to feel that way again.

She hated hearing his voice in that way, muffled by the automaton and drawled out mockingly. Cass had felt the betrayal then. Oh yes she did. She felt the pain at having the one person who had put her above everyone else turn on her. She had kept it hidden, of course. Growing up at an orphanage made her suspicious to showing emotions, and she had never been like Rapunzel, who wore her heart on her sleeve, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel it.

Going to him had been out of what she deemed necessity. If she was going to do what she was meant to do, she’d need him. As _she_ had told her, the boy was necessary. He was touched and thus, he was bonded to her. The very thing that he hated most was the one thing that bound them together. He was the one person who could help her fulfill her mission - and help her receive all that she wants most.

She doesn’t want to tell him. The kid may be infuriating at times, perky and inappropriate at others, but something holds her back. What, she doesn’t know. Cass just knows that she can’t tell him. Not yet.

“Cass! Cass, wait!”

Without thinking, she whirls on him with the full force of her anger. “What, Varian?!” she hisses, eyes flashing. “What could you possibly want from me now, huh? We’re traveling together, yeah, but that doesn’t mean we have to bear our _fucking_ souls. Leave me alone.”

Undeterred, the kid wraps a hand around her wrist, preventing her from turning her back on him. “No,” he says with a surprisingly determined look in his eyes. Cass’s eyes bore into the offending hand, then up at him. She meets his searching gaze with a deadly one of her own.

“No?” Cass repeats, voice threateningly soft.

Varian merely tightens his grip, his blue eyes steady in their conviction. “No,” he says again. “I told you, I'm not that little boy anymore.” Then, the little shit _actually_ manages to look almost guilty. He adds, “You can’t scare me.”

Cass says, “I’m not trying to scare you.”

“Yes you are,” says Varian softly, that inquisitive look in his eyes. “Whenever I say something that you don’t like, you lash out at me.”

She hates how correct his analysis is. And fuck that! She’s a person, not some set of quantifiable data! Cass meets his imploring eyes with a stern glare of her own. “Shut up.”

A flash of pain sparks in Varian’s eyes for a brief moment before he attempts to hide it. “No,” he says again. “No, Cassandra. Not this time.”

Cass throws her hands in the air, frustrated. “This time?!” she cries. “What do you mean, _this time_?! You never shut up! You chat my ear off all the time!”

Varian frowns, avoiding her gaze, and the smallest bit of pity sparks in Cassandra’s chest. As guilt pools in the bottom of her stomach, she pinched the bridge of her nose and sighs.

“Kid,” Cass says, no longer yelling. “I get it. I’m the only one here with you. The only person you’ve had to talk to in awhile.”

He says nothing, just observing her with that uncannily perceptive gaze, waiting for her to continue.

She sighs again and says, “But that’s not me. I’m sorry.”

Varian’s eyes soften. “It-it’s okay, Cassandra. You don’t have to apologize.”

“Yes I do,” Cass snaps, and then at his startled expression, she relaxes. “Yes I do,” she repeats, more to herself this time than to Varian. 

She averts her gaze from his, no matter how cowardly she might think the gesture is, and wanders over to a nearby rock. She’s most certainly not surprised when the kid follows her, plopping himself right next to her. Cass sighs when she feels his eyes on her, curious and concerned. It’s that look, that damn look, that prompts her to speak her mind.

“All my life I’ve been overlooked,” Cass says softly, breaking the silence. Varian looks at her, startled by the sudden admission, but she continues before he has a chance to comment. “My mother abandoned me when I was four. I stayed at an orphanage for two full years before my dad took me in. And even then, I was never really accepted. I was,” she laughs bitterly at the memory. “Not really a girly kid. I liked to play in the mud, dig up bugs and run until I couldn’t anymore.” She sighs. “I realized real quick that I wanted to be a warrior. Dad tried to get people to teach me to be _proper,_ but I scared every one of them away. I wanted to fight, to be something more than a pretty little thing who wears dresses and corsets and giggles at the slightest thing.”

Varian nudges her slightly and says, “You’re a great warrior, Cassandra. One of the best I’ve ever seen.”

Cass scoffs. “Thanks, kid, but you’re probably the only one who thinks so. The world we live in…” she shakes her head. “It’s a man’s world. Women aren’t supposed to be knights, warriors or members of the kingsguard. I grew up wondering how my life would have been different if I was a man. I was no one, always, and everything that happened reminded me of that. I couldn’t be a fighter, and I could never truly be a proper lady. Just a dumb little girl, searching for something that she couldn’t have.”

“But you never gave up,” Varian cuts in. “You kept trying and that’s what’s important.”

Cass scoffs again. “Yeah,” she says bitterly. “I kept trying to make it in a man’s world because that’s who I am. For better or for worse, I’m stubborn as all hell. Maybe that’s what led me here.”

Varian shakes his head. “No,” he says. “You’re here because you made a choice. Now I don’t know if it’s the right one. No one does. But it sounds like you wanted to do something for yourself instead of Rapunzel. And I don’t blame you for that.”

Cass laughs. “No, I guess _you_ wouldn’t. But others do. And who can blame them? I was supposed to protect Rapunzel. She’s princess of Corona, and I was charged with protecting her. I _prided_ myself on protecting her once. But once, just once, I wanted to be selfish. And now _I’m_ the bad guy.”

“Well, I guess we’re both the bad guys then, huh?” Varian says inquisitively. “I mean, hell knows I’ve done things I’m not proud of.”

Cass rolls her eyes. “You were the most dramatic bad guy I think I’ve ever seen.”

Varian grins. “Thank you, milady,” he says, bowing with a flourish. He hides his pain well, but Cassandra sees it in the form of a small spark in his eyes. Varian tries to cover it up, but when he meets Cass’ suspicious gaze, he sighs, sinking in on himself. “I wasn’t in a good place back then,” Varian admits.

Cass tries to make light of the situation. “So being dramatic just came with that then?”

Varian makes an amused noise. “Uh, no,” he says. “Guess I’ve always been…uh… dramatic. Comes with being an alchemist, I guess.”

Cass snorts. “Ya know, kid, I’ve always wondered something.”

Varian tilts his head. “Oh yeah? What?”

“You ever just blow shit up for fun?”

Varian suddenly seems incapable of forming a complete sentence. “Would I.. what?!” he sputters. “And… and waste precious chemicals?! No way! Would you?” 

Cass stares at him.

“Cassandra, that’s just wrong on so many levels.” Varian shakes his head. “Though why I’d ever expect anything else from you, I have no idea.”

Cass shrugs. “What?” she asks. “I thought you’d at least know how to have fun. Guess you are are just a boring nerd after all.”

Varian spitters angrily. “What? _Nerd?_ Smartest person in all Corona, you mean.”

Cass raises an eyebrow. “Mmm, maybe,” she allows. “But you’re still a nerd.”

“And _you’re_ a psycho,” Varian counters, smiling to let her know he’s teasing. “Blowing shit up for fun,” he shakes his head. “Barbaric.”

Cass smiles. It’s times like these where she can almost forget her mission. Forget who he is and what he’s done, and forget what she’s done. Cass shudders as she thinks about the people who used to occupy their caravan. She thinks about their blood on her hands and the look in their eyes as they died. She could never live that down, never forget that. _She_ had taken them from this world

But as she watches her companion chat away, that familiar spark back in his eyes and the childlike smile on his face, she can almost justify it. They had been torturing him, keeping him in chains. It wasn’t murder when she considered Varian, the variable that changed everything. No, when she put Varian into the equation, what she did was _justice._

Varian seems to catch onto her pensive mood, the perceptive little shit. “Cassandra?” he asks, large blue eyes concerned. “You okay?”

She nods. _It was justice,_ she tells herself. _He’s just a kid. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like that._ Cass steels herself, her hands clenching into fists. _And he’ll never have to be treated like that again. Not while he’s with me._

She hears and sees him scoot closer to her out her peripheral vision. He reaches for her. “Cass-”

She flinches away with an almost thoughtless scowl, and the boy frowns before lowering his hand. Frustrated both with him for pushing her and herself for pushing him away, Cass sighs.

“You...you know you can talk to me... right?” Varian asks her hesitantly, his perceptive eyes watching her closely. “We’re not exactly strangers, Cassandra; I know when something’s bothering you.”

She laughs bitterly. “You can almost say we’re friends.”

Varian shrinks back, his childish energy gone. He looks at her now with apprehension, sadness. It makes guilt pool once again in Cass’s heart. She absentmindedly traces the moonstone on her chest, feeling the power thrum beneath her fingertips. Varian’s eyes go to her hand and he reaches for it, as if to pull her hand back.

Fear strikes Cass suddenly, and her warrior reflexes kick in. She snatches his wrist just as he’s inches from the moonstone. Cass holds it there, keeping it from moving any closer, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Don’t,” she warns.

He meets her eyes questioningly, fear residing in his. “Don’t…?”

Cass shakes her head. “Don’t.” She releases his hand, relieved when he doesn’t try again. He just looks at her, and she can practically see the gears in his inquisitive mind clicking away, trying to make sense of what had just happened. She looks away.

“Cassandra-”

“Just don’t touch it, okay?” she tells him fiercely, and he meets her eyes. Silence takes hold for the briefest instance, and he just barely nods.

“Okay.”

“Good,” says Cass, and she rises. She can feel his eyes on her, and prays he doesn’t follow her.

“So what now?” Cass inwardly curses as he sidles besides her, like nothing had even happened. “We going to some secret location or something, partner?”

Cass sighs. “Not some-” she pauses, her body going rigid, eyes narrowing. “Wait a second.”

Varian’s face scrunches in confusion. “What’s going…”

Cass pushes Varian out of the way as a large shape comes bursting through the trees. She gasps in surprise as she’s shoved backwards, pain lancing through her body as she hits a tree, on the ground. Cass cries out once in pain before fury takes hold.

“Cass!” she hears Varian cry. Cass holds out a hand to keep him back, and he freezes, eyes wide and body ready to run to her.

“No!” Cass shouts. “Stay there!”

The figure moves to her just as Cass leaps to her feet, and a large hand wraps around her throat, holding her to the tree. Cass stares into deep brown eyes. Familiar deep brown eyes. Anger, hot and blinding, courses through her, and she snarls.

“You,” Cass growls.

Adira, never one for witty banter, narrows her eyes. “You’re still alive,” she says, and she sounds surprised. Cass takes advantage of her shock, and brings her leg up to kick the other woman away from her. Adira grunts in pain and Cass uses this to free herself.

“You doubted?” Cass snarls.

Adira comes at her with a vengeance, unleashing her sword. The moonstone reacts to Cass’s anger, sparking with blue lightning, and rocks sprout from the ground to impede Adira’s advance. The other woman slices the growing rocks with a speed that Cass would have admired under any other circumstances. Cass whirls out of the way as Adira’s sword hits the tree. Adira grunts as she tries to pull her sword from the tree.

Cass uses this time to call to Varian. “Kid, get to the caravan and go! I’ll find you-”

She catches Adira just as she’s about to lunge again, crossing her arms in a shield in front of her. The rocks mimic her hands and Adira’s barred back again. The woman almost heaves a sigh as she cuts the rocks down again. Cass doubles back, towards where she’d thrown Varian, throwing rocks as she goes.

“We can’t do this forever, Short Hair!” she hears Adira grunt from behind her. “I’ve never thought you’d be one to run from a fight.”

Cass snarls at the jab, and the anger returns with a vengeance. She whirls just as Adira comes for her and with wicked fast speed, whips out her sword. The swords clash again and again, the moonstone in Cass’s chest pulsing in response to Cass’s fury. Adira’s eyes lock on it, and then harden.

“This is unnecessary,” Adira growls. “Give me the moonstone and the kid and no one gets hurt.”

Cass steels herself. “Never,” she hisses, and their swords clash again.

Cass has no time to think about Varian as she spars with Adira, though he crosses her mind. She only has time to wonder whether he adhered to her instructions before she’s dragged back into the fray again. Cass leaps back, and Adira with her. The other woman almost catches her of guard, swinging her sword. Cass just catches her offensive maneuver. They stand at a standstill for a brief moment, swords locked.

“How are you still alive?!” Adira yells. “The moonstone should have incinerated you by now!”

Cass says, “Maybe I’m stronger than you think. You wouldn’t be the first to underestimate me-ah!” Adira sends a swift kick to Cass’s sword hand, sending the sword flying. Adira’s second kick hits home in Cass’s stomach, forcing the breath out of her. She falls to her knees, seething with rage.

The moonstone reacts again - this time to Cass’s distress - and unleashes a fury of rocks to keep Adira back. Blue lightning lashes around the two of them, but Adira keeps coming, unstoppable. Cass braces herself to fight, even though her body screams in protest.

Neither of them had counted on Varian.

“Stop it!” he yells, throwing himself in front of Cass. “No more!”

Adira freezes, her eyes locked on Varian. Cass sees the emotions playing out in her dark eyes. Determination, confusion… hesitation. The spell is broken, and Adira’s eyes harden again.

“Varian,” Cass hisses. “Get out of here.”

The stubborn kid turns to look at her. “And leave you here? No way!” He glares at Adira. “I remember you,” he says. “You were with Rapunzel.” His eyes soften. “You knew my father.”

Adira looks conflicted. “I did,” she says, casting a glance at Cass.

“But you want to hurt Cassandra,” Varian continues, nodding to himself as if deciding something. His eyes narrow. “And I don’t know you.”

Cass exhales in surprise. He turns to look at her.

“Don’t worry,” he says with that look in his eyes that says he has a plan.

Cass can only blink in response, holding her breath as pain continues to lance through her limbs.

“Varian,” Adira says, bringing his attention back to her. She sets the sword on the ground. “Listen to me. I am not your enemy. Rapunzel isn’t your enemy. Come back with me and no one gets hurt.”

“And why should I trust you?” Varian counters fiercely. “I trusted Rapunzel and she betrayed me. I don’t give second chances easily.”

Adira looks dumbfounded for once. “And you trust her?” she gestures to where Cass lays on the ground behind Varian. “You give her a second chance? Do you know what she’s done?”

“Yes,” Varian says. “I know what she’s done. I know who she is.”

“Then you should understand that-”

“I wasn’t done yet,” Varian says angrily, his blue eyes flashing. “I know who she is. You may think you know who she is too, but you’re wrong. She’s not a bad person. She saved my life. And I’ll never forget that.” He turns to look at her, eyes soft. “I don’t think you’re evil. Not anymore.” He turns back to Adira, eyes set. “Which is why I can’t go with you.”

Adira opens her mouth to speak, only to be caught off guard by a furry spitfire who leaps onto her head in a brown blur, snarling and biting. Varian wastes no time, snatching Cass’s hand and pulling her swiftly to her feet while Adira battles with Ruddiger. 

“Ruddiger!” Varian shouts.

The raccoon races over to Cass and Varian, scurrying onto Varian’s shoulder. He throws the door to the caravan open and pushes Cass inside. She’s left with the impression of sincere blue eyes on hers before the door shuts, separating them.

“Kid!” Cass shouts and pushes herself to her feet, intent on following him. She cries out as the caravan lurches forward, toppling her back onto her butt. And then she realizes what had happened. He was distracting Adira, waiting for the perfect time to escape. Cass is surprised, proud, even.

But it’s not over yet.

She pushes through the pain and picks herself up, shoving open the back door and stepping out onto the platform. Adira was already following them, her face determined. She wouldn’t be tricked again. Or defeated. 

But neither would Cass.

With a cry of fury, Cass throws up her hand, the moonstone responding to her request. Black rocks shoot from the ground in a line, creating a thick, fluorescent barrier between the fleeing caravan and Adira. Cass feels the power course through her and relishes in it, the power that she had been denied so long. She laughs once, a delighted, single bark.

Adira curses as she fights to get through the growing field of rocks, but as Cass and Varian flee, the barrier of thorns grows thicker and more impenetrable. Cass keeps at it, the power of the moonstone flowing through her in the form of blue lightning and sparks. The barrier of rocks grows thicker still, and Cass’s delight grows with it.

“This isn’t right, Cassandra!” Adira’s voice calls to her through the obsidian thorns. “Somewhere inside of you, you know this!” Cass frowns. “You can’t win this one, Cassandra. Sooner or later, it will take control, and you will lose. You think you’re protecting him? You think he’s safe with you?” A pause. “You’ll end up destroying him, and _it_ will end up destroying you.”

“No,” Cass says under her breath, brushing the moonstone with her fingertips. “You’re wrong. I’m stronger than this. If that happens, I’ll fight it.” Her hand curls into a fist, blue eyes narrowing. “And I will win.”

With that, Cass turns around and slams the door shut behind her. Her hand is shaking; she hadn’t used that much power since she’d first fled from Rapunzel. Cass balls it into a fist and keeps moving. That time is past, and Rapunzel is gone. She has to keep moving forward. Nothing good ever comes from looking back.

Cass moves to the front of the caravan to where Varian sits with his hands on the reigns. He’s facing forward, blue eyes determined and jaw set. Ruddiger sits in his lap, but when he hears the door open behind Varian, he chirps in happiness and pads over to greet Cass.

The raccoon eagerly climbs up her shoulders and pats at her face with his little hands, as if checking her for injuries. He chatters excitedly, and Cass can’t help but smile at the affectionate little creature, especially after seeing him defend her. She has to admit, the raccoon has his uses.

Upon seeing that she’s okay, Ruddiger almost smiles at her, taking a seat on her shoulders. Cass smiles. “I’m fine, ‘coon,” she tells him, and Ruddiger curls up, setting his head on her shoulders.

Cass turns her attention to Ruddiger’s owner, who observes them quietly, a fond look on his face. Cass smiles at him, nods, and takes a seat besides him. Then she remembers what he had done, and how dangerous that had been.

If he thinks he’s getting out of this without an ass-whooping, he’s seriously mistaken.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Cass demands.

Judging by Varian’s responding sigh, he was expecting an ass-whooping. Maybe he did know her, Cass thinks to herself. Ugh, was she becoming predictable? That’d have to change. “Cassandra-”

“Don’t you _Cassandra_ me,” she interrupts. “You had no right getting involved in that mess. I told you to leave me.”

He furrows his brow. “Well yeah, but it’s not like I take orders well.”

Hell, he’s been hanging around her too long. “Seriously?!” Cass throws her hands up in the air. “ _That’s_ your excuse? Good God, Varian, I expected better from you. You should have listened to me.”

“She wasn’t going to hurt me,” Varian says calmly, a contradiction to her angry tone. “You saw her, Cass. She wanted to take me back to Rapunzel.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Cass says. “You shouldn’t have gotten caught in the crossfire. I don’t think you’re stupid but _that_ was stupid.”

Varian shakes his head. “No it wasn’t,” he replies. “We got out, didn’t we?”

Cass sighs deeply. This kid. He tests her patience everyday. “We did get out,” she admits begrudgingly.

Varian says, “So there’s nothing else to it.”

Cass laughs without mirth. “That’s not true.”

Varian gives her a sidelong glance. “Don’t tell me you were _worried_ about me.”

Cass glares at him. “Of course I was worried,” she says. “You’re sixteen. You have a whole life ahead of you and you shouldn’t be wasting it.” She sighs. “Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn’t just let you go.”

“Go?” Varian repeats incredulously. “Go where? Back to Rapunzel? Back to my house, where my dad is, imprisoned?” Now he laughs bitterly. “No. You should know better than anyone else. I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Cass is rendered speechless for the first time in awhile. She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

“And even if I had somewhere else to go, I wouldn’t want to,” Varian continues casually. “You freed me, saved me and gave me a purpose. Even though I don’t know what that purpose is, I trust you.” Now he looks at her, smiling as if nothing happened. “I do. I trust you.”

Cass looks away. “You shouldn’t. The things I’ve done…” _You think you’re protecting him? You think he’s safe with you? You’ll end up destroying him, and_ it _will end up destroying you._

He puts a hand on her arm. “Hey, we’ve all done things we regret. And… sure, you’ve done some stuff, but so have I. And I don’t know why you stole the moonstone but I know why you killed those men. You did that to _protect_ me. You saved my life.”

Cass laughs bitterly. “Well yeah. Those guys were sacks of shit.”

Varian smiles kindly. “Exactly. You did what you’ve always done, protecting people who can’t protect themselves from bad guys. This,” he points to the moonstone. “Didn’t change who you are, Cass. It gave you something to use to protect people. Just… don’t forget that, okay?”

Cass shakes her head. “It amazes me how wise you are sometimes,” she says. “Like an old man speaking from a sixteen year old body.”

Varian shrugs. “Just saying what I know to be true.”

A beat of silence passes before Cass says, “Saporia.”

Varian frowns. “What?”

She turns to look at him. “Saporia,” she says again. “That’s where we’re going. Well, our end destination anyways. I need to stop at a prison near here.”

Varian’s smile brightens.

“I never thanked you, you know,” said Cass. “For saving _my_ life. I don’t think Adira would have killed me back there, but things would have gone a lot worse if you hadn’t stepped in. So thank you.”

Varian laughs. “Don’t worry about it. I never would have let anything happen to you. And you know, it’s the kind of thing friends do.” He trails off, frowning. Cass looks at him curiously. He had let that slip, but Cass wasn’t angry.

“Right,” she said, quirking an eyebrow. “Because we are. Friends, I mean.”

She’d turned away at the last minute, not wanting to meet his gaze after admitting that, but she knows he’s watching her as he always does, and she can feel the radiance of his smile.

“You can go in if you want, kid,” Cass says, watching the skyline in the distance. The sun’s just started to set, just barely peeking over the treeline. “I can take it from here.”

“Th-that’s okay, Cass,” Varian replies. “I can stay.”

“I don’t mind,” Cass says. “I wanna stay out here for a little while. And you should get something to eat.”

Varian hesitates, clearly catching the hint. She turns around to face him, only to be met with a pair of arms being slung around her. Cass grunts, caught off guard by the contact, and waits for him to pull away. After a little while, she gives in, sliding her arms around the skinny boy in return.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

Cass frowns. “For what?” she asks. “You saved me today, remember?”

He pulls back. “For telling me. I… was happy to trust you, but I like being in the loop. Ya know?”

Cass smiles sideways at him, and punches his arm. “You’re welcome. We’re co-ladies in waiting, remember?”

The kid grins, eyes lighting up with recognition. “Well then. Team Co-Ladies in Waiting?” he asks, putting his hand out for a fist bump.

Cass looks at it and groans. “Don’t make this nerdy.”

He’s still grinning like an idiot, holding his hand out. “I’m not going inside without a fist bump,” he tells her. Damn him.

Cass rolls her eyes. “Team Co-Ladies in Waiting,” she grumbles, fist bumping her infuriating but endearing companion. 

Varian’s grin widens if possible, and he stops at the door before headed inside. “I’ll save you some dinner,” he says cheekily, and then tips his head. “Milady.”

Cass throws a shoe at his retreating back, but it bounces off the door. She can hear Varian’s resounding laughter and suppresses a smile despite herself, shaking her head. 

On her shoulder, Ruddiger sends her a pointed look.

“Shut it, ‘coon,” Cass tells him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how about that premiere huh?
> 
> I knew Cass was Gothel’s daughter. Totally called it! Also, just to clear up any confusion, I’m going to keep this story going in the direction I want to. In the canon of this story, season 3 hasn’t happened. I know I’m going to be tempted to change the story to mirror s3 but I can’t! I already have a plan. After all fan fiction is fan fiction for a reason, right?
> 
> Thank you all for reading! Sorry for the long wait, but I’m on Fall Break now so I should get one more chapter in before I go back to school. Thanks beeches!!


	11. questions, questions

Rapunzel had taken to the girls almost as easily as they first took to her. Though she wants to find Cassandra and Varian more than anything, the two girls have proven to be a welcome distraction.

They eat every meal together. Rapunzel has found that they both enjoy being outside more than in the castle, so she often eats lunch with them in a small secluded place overlooking the castle gardens. 

Rapunzel quite enjoys chatting with the older girl, Evie, who, she’s learned, is the same age as Varian had been, only a few years younger than her. Evie recently celebrated her fifteenth birthday, courtesy of Rapunzel herself, and the two - three counting little Cami - spent the night stargazing on top of the castle roof. Rapunzel had a cake prepared special - strawberry, to satisfy Evie’s unusual scientific-like curiosity.

“See that one there?” Rapunzel points out a constellation. “That’s-”

“Cassiopeia,” Evie says, her deep brown eyes shining with all the beauty of her smile, which Rapunzel is proud to have brought out. She nudges Cami, who’s currently stabbing the strawberry cake vigorously with her fork. “Do you remember the story behind that one, Cami?”

Cami frowns, jabbing the frosted rose straight down the middle. “No.”

Evie frowns in turn, but she’s not about to let her little sister ruin her birthday. She smiles at Rapunzel, who smiles in turn. “What about you, Princess?” she asks curiously. “You chart stars, right?”

Rapunzel nods, sparing a concerned glance at Cami, who’s jabbed her piece of cake to smithereens. The younger girl reaches for another piece and Rapunzel doesn’t have the heart to take it away from her. 

“I do,” Rapunzel admits. “But I don’t remember all of the story. Why don’t you tell me again?”

Evie looks delighted, joy shining in her eyes. She claps her hands together. “Okay! So there was this girl, right? Her name was Cassiopeia-”

Rapunzel smiles softly to herself as Evie launches into a detailed story of Cassiopeia. She’s come to know these girls almost as well as she thought she knew Cassandra.

Evie was quiet at first, demure, regal, and sharp as a tack. She retained information so well that she already knew five languages at fourteen. She and Rapunzel shared a lot of the same interests, and Evie looked at Rapunzel like she hung the moon, so Evie was rarely seen from Rapunzel’s side. The girl was intuitive, observant and probably the sweetest person Rapunzel had ever met. 

She hadn’t tried painting before Rapunzel showed her, but after Rapunzel did, Evie had spent all day trying to perfect the task. She was persistent as well, so when Rapunzel received a hand painted portrait of her Cami and Evie, she framed it, put it on her wall and hugged Evie so tightly that the teenager complained.

Cami was different, opposite her sister. She was a little ball of fire, enthusiastic whereas Evie was timid, loud where Evie was quiet, and harsh where Evie was kind. Cami took no interest in painting, or charting stars or creating new inventions. She did, however, enjoy exploring the secret passages of the castle and viciously hitting things with her thin sword. When Camille went missing, no matter how hard Rapunzel tried, she could never really find her. Only when Rapunzel promised Cami that she could take her to watch the royal guard train would Cami eagerly spend time with her. It irked Rapunzel to no end.

She missed Eugene the most when dealing with little Cami. Since that day in the House of Yesterday’s Tomorrow, she and he had had a few talks about having kids when they eventually settled down. She had learned that day that her approach to kids wasn’t always the best way to get them to listen, but she really wants Cami to like her. She wonders if Eugene would be able to get to her.

“Rapunzel, are you listening?”

Brought out of her thoughts, Rapunzel meets Evie’s concerned gaze. “Huh? Oh.” She runs a hand through her hair. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”

Evie tilts her head and offers a sympathetic smile. “You miss him, don’t you?”

Rapunzel smiles sadly, amused and a little unnerved that Evie could read her that easily. “Yeah,” Rapunzel admits. “I do.”

In the corner, Cami frowns. “Why?”

Rapunzel recoils, struck with a pang of hurt. Evie sends her an apologetic glance, and stops Rapunzel from intervening with a quick hand. “Camille,” Evie snaps in uncharacteristic anger. “That’s not nice. You don’t know anything about love so why would you even ask her that?”

Cami frowns, holding her fork up to her face. “Just wondering. I dunno I believe in love.”

“You listened to Rapunzel’s first story didn’t you?” Evie retorts. “I know you did. I was there, remember?”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I get it,” the six-year old says matter-of-factly. 

With one final jab, she finishes the already decimated piece of cake. When she notices she’s killed her formidable foe, she looks around for another. Evie deftly slides her own half-eaten piece away from her and looks pointedly at Rapunzel to do the same. Rapunzel takes the unspoken advice and Cami’s hand drops to her side, her eyes elsewhere.

Rapunzel almost doesn’t know what to say, and judging by Evelyn’s level gaze, her plight was easily noticed. Evie reaches out to touch Rapunzel’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. The girl offers her a sympathetic smile and whispers, “Cami’s never been good at being... “ she hesitates as she tries to come up with a suitable word. “ _ Kind, _ ” she settles on. “It’s not like she means any harm, just she’s never been one to sugar coat things. She’s always said things how she perceives them.”

Rapunzel forces a smile. “She’s so little,” she says. “I can’t expect her to understand manners completely.”

Evie bites her lip. “Not yet anyways,” she says, crossing her arms and casting a level gaze to her sister. “I still have a lot to teach her.”

Camille scrunches her nose. “I can hear you.”

Evie’s smile is sly. “You were supposed to,” she tells her.

Cami sticks her tongue out at her sister, and Evie tosses her dark brown curls over her shoulder, leveling Rapunzel with her soft smile. “I think it’s time for Cami to go to bed,” she says, her smile turning slightly smug.

“What? No!” Cami whines. “I am  _ not _ tired.”

“It’s almost midnight,” her sister shoots back at her. “And you’re being annoying.”

“Am not!”

“Are too.”

“Am not!”

Evie rolls her eyes, and little Camille smiles smugly, proud at having gotten the last word.

Rapunzel rises, clapping her hands together. “Okay!” she says. “Evie’s right, it’s getting late. And I’m older than both of you, so that means what I say goes.” The princess crosses her arms, raising a challenging eyebrow at the two of them, daring them - Camille in particular - to contradict her authority.

Cami groans and Evie sends her an uncharacteristically triumphant look. Rapunzel raises an eyebrow as Evie comes to join her, Cami trailing at her side. As both girls’ dark brown eyes look at her expectantly, Rapunzel feels warmth pool in the pit of her stomach. She may not have Cassandra anymore, and Eugene may be far away at the moment, but she has this odd bond with these two formerly slave sisters, and maybe, just maybe, that could be enough for the moment.

~

Evie walks at Rapunzel’s side and Cami in her arms, resting her head on Rapunzel’s shoulder. Evie gives her sister a look. “Not tired, huh?” she asks, cocking an eyebrow. “You’re such a liar, Cami.”

Cami glares at her sister from Rapunzel’s arms and attempts to swat at Evie. Rapunzel puts an end to that immediately, and Cami turns the glare to her, crossing her arms and huffing, annoyed. Rapunzel shrinks back instinctively, unused to people directing such looks at her. She’s a likeable person, damnit! Everyone was supposed to like her!

Evie, as adept to emotions as she is, casts Rapunzel another apologetic glance as Cami, her momentary temper tantrum forgotten, sighs tiredly, relaxing in Rapunzel’s arms.

“Sorry,” Evie whispers, just loud enough for Rapunzel to hear her. Rapunzel sighs, but keeps walking, the six year old carefully ensconced in her embrace.

When Rapunzel finally reaches the girl’s chambers, Evie climbs immediately into bed, and Rapunzel, a dozing Cami in her arms, settles her on her own bed, making sure to tuck her into the covers. The girl’s dark eyes open and she peers up at Rapunzel curiously. She yawns cutely and says, “Tell us a story?”

Rapunzel smiles half-heartedly. She’s never sure with this one. One minute she’s glaring at Rapunzel, the next she’s asking her for a story. Still, Rapunzel takes what she can get, and hesitantly, she brushes a stray dark curl from the youngest girl’s face. “What would you like to hear?”

Rapunzel jumps a little as the bed shifts under her and Cami and turns to look as Evie, quiet as always, shyly crawls onto her sister’s bed, hesitantly perching on the edge, her dark eyes curious, but apprehensive. Unsatisfied with Evie’s uncertainty, Rapunzel grabs her hand, pulling her to sit by her sister. Evie doesn’t protest, but Rapunzel notices that she flinches initially at the contact and internally reminds herself to be more patient with these two.

Evie sends the princess a pointed look mixed with a touch of deviousness that Rapunzel associated more with Cami, and says, “I seem to remember you promising us that sometime you’d tell us about what happened after you returned to Corona. The first time,” Evie revises quickly. “After Eugene died.”

Rapunzel flinches. Memories of Cassandra return with a vengeance. Good memories of them together, acting as one despite their differences, like sisters. The time Cass had taken her out of the castle to show her the black rocks. The time she had made them friendship bracelets. The bittersweet memories she has of them as birds, and the enthusiastic hug her usually prickly friend had given her when she realized Rapunzel was going to be alright.

And bad ones. Cassandra stealing the moonstone right out from under her nose. Cassandra throwing her against the wall of the castle. Cassandra fighting Adira and Eugene, not holding back, a truly horrifying spark of anger in her eyes. Cassandra fleeing, not sparing a glance at Rapunzel as she ran. Not even turning back as Rapunzel cried after her, her voice going hoarse with every passing call.

Evie notices something of her distress, for she hesitantly puts a hand on Rapunzel’s arm, gazing up at the princess with concern in her wide brown eyes. “Raps? Are you okay?”

Rapunzel shakes her head, forcing a smile on her face. “What? Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?” But even through her false cheeriness, she can hear her voice fall at the end. Upon seeing the glance the sisters share Rapunzel realizes that they could hear it too, and drops the act, sighing and pulling her arms tightly around herself. “Okay, fine. No. I’m not really okay.”

Cami furrows her brow, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “Is it Eugene?”

“Huh?” Rapunzel shakes her head. “No. Well… yes, I’m worried about him, but that’s not what’s making me sad.”

Evie scoots closer, wraps a hand around Rapunzel’s wrist and pulls her to the middle of the bed, so that she’s sitting between the two sisters, Cami on her right and Evie to her left. “It’s okay, Raps,” Evie says, patting the princess’ shoulder reassuringly. “You can tell us. We’ll listen.” Rapunzel spares a glance at Camille, surprised to see the younger girl nod at her. Though she shies away when Rapunzel smiles at her, looking away with her eyebrows furrowed.

Rapunzel sighs, running a hand through her long hair, and pulls the older girl to her side so that Evie’s leaning on her. Evie doesn’t seem to mind. She scoots closer, offering the princess her comfort, and Rapunzel feels a strange surge of happiness permeate the guilt and sorrow pooling in her stomach.

“I…” she pauses, shaking her head. “I don’t know I wanna talk about it just yet. But I’ll tell you someday. Promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” says Evie. “You said you never forget your promises.”

Rapunzel smiles and ruffles her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of Evie’s head as she pulls her in closer. “And I never do.”

Cami looks up at her with big, hopeful brown eyes. “You’re still gonna tell us a story though, right?” 

“Of course,” says Rapunzel. “But only one. It’s late, and you two need to go to bed.”

Cami groans. “Awww.” And Evie shushes her firmly.

Rapunzel, who has her arms around Evie’s slim shoulders, squeezes her affectionately and chuckles at Cami, who, in an uncharacteristic display of affection, scooches closer to Rapunzel’s other side, putting the princess’ arm around her small form herself and snuggling comfortably into Rapunzel, resting her head under the crook of Rapunzel’s chin. 

Rapunzel chuckles at the littlest one, tightening her hold around her in an almost motherly manner. It feels almost instinctive, like Rapunzel was always meant to be a mother, and she feels a swell of warmth surge through her chest.

“Okay, so after Eugene and I went back to the kingdom and reunited with my mom and dad, I had to learn how to act like a proper princess,” Rapunzel says to her girls, pulling a face as she remembers the shoes her mother had tried to get her to wear. “I kept Pascal, obviously.” Rapunzel scratches the chameleon in question on her shoulder, smiling softly as Cami reaches up to do the same. “And Eugene, but I met a lot of new friends.” She laughs softly to herself. “I had no idea there were so many people outside the tower. Never would have thought I’d meet so many wonderful ones here within the castle wall.”

Cami yawns hugely. “Like who?”

Rapunzel thinks for a moment. “Well there’s Friedborg,” she begins. “Xavier, Stan, Pete, the Cap, my mom and dad,” she smiles. “Mom’s been there for me since the beginning. She’s very understanding, and probably one of the kindest people in the history of ever. Dad’s a little scary at first, but he’s a big softie deep down, promise.”

“He looks like a bear,” Cami says, pulling a face, and Evie scoffs at her sister’s bluntness.

“Shut up, Cami,” she says, and Rapunzel shushes both of them promptly before they could start another sisterly bantering session. 

Cami rolls her eyes. “What? He does.”

Rapunzel sighs. “Do you guys want me to continue or no? Because I can go back to my bedroom and leave-”

“No!” Both yell in unison.

Rapunzel smiles knowingly. “Thought so. Okay, so anyways, I met a lot of cool people here! Even though most of them were trying to do their jobs, getting me accustomed to the castle. I gave them a lot of trouble,” she laughs at the memory. “I never wear shoes, so the staff kept trying to get me to try on a bunch of shoes. All of which were super not comfortable. Like, there was this one pair of heels I had to wear to a banquet.” Rapunzel shakes her head. “You should have seen me, tripping around the dining room. Lucky Eugene’s so good at tricking people, ‘cause he found a way to distract my parents while I took the shoes off under the table.

“Oh, that was the day I nearly broke a chandelier trying to catch a rat. Ooh! And then there was that one time after I grew my hair back and swang on that chandelier again! Oh my gosh, Mom and Dad were so mad.” Rapunzel laughs again. “Both times. I don’t think they really knew what to do with me when I was fresh out of the tower. I can’t even tell you how many times I almost destroyed their chandeliers. That one in particular.”

Evie yawns, putting her head on Rapunzel’s shoulder. “That chandelier in the dining room?” she asks sleepily, and Rapunzel nods.

“That’s the one,” she confirms. “That and the one in the throne room.”

“How’d you get so good at utilizing your hair as a weapon?” Evie inquires, raising her head. She tilts it curiously, regarding the princess with a respectful yet contemplative gaze. “I don’t expect you did much training locked up in a tower.”

Rapunzel hesitates, absentmindedly stroking a strand of long blonde hair. She doesn’t like to talk about her time at the tower, doesn’t like to relive what she now sees as an unhealthy relationship between her and Gothel - a mother daughter bond forged by manipulation and reliance on Rapunzel’s part. Rapunzel opens her mouth to reply, but the littlest one beats her to it.

“Oh! I can answer this one,” Cami exclaims. “ _ You _ train with the guards! Don’t even try to deny it!”

Rapunzel hushes her. “Shhhhh! My mom and dad aren’t supposed to know about that! The guards promised not to tell them.”

“It’s so cool,” Cami continues as if Rapunzel hadn’t even spoken, talking animatedly to her sister, who stares at the little girl with growing exasperation. “Raps can swing her hair around aaaanything and just pulls herself up and around, knocking out guards like a crazy person! This one time I saw her-”

“Oookay,” Rapunzel puts an end to that immediately, not wanting them getting any ideas. “That’s enough fight talk. Tell you what, you guys decide on one and I’ll tell it.”

Cami surprises no one by deciding for the two of them. She shifts so she’s in Rapunzel’s lap, gazing wide eyed up at the princess. “Tell the story of how you got your hair back,” she says.

Rapunzel laughs breathily at the memory. It had been a long time since she had thought of that day, a full six months after she and Eugene had escaped Mother Gothel. She remembers parts of that day better than others; court proceedings had always bored her, and while her coronation day was anything but boring, with Eugene’s attempted proposal and that very… ah… interesting day out on the town, Rapunzel had blocked out most of it. Except… she cringes.

_ You know, if you really wanted, I could get you in and out of here before anyone even knew we were gone. _

Oh,  _ Cassandra _ .

The pain comes back, this time stronger.

The girls must have noticed her change, for Cami tilts her own head and knocks on the side of Rapunzel’s. “Hellooo? Are you still there?”

Evie snatches her sister’s hand away. “Cami, don’t be rude!” And then to Rapunzel. “It’s okay, Raps, if the story bothers you, you don’t have to-”

“No!” Rapunzel exclaims, and then, when the girls just stare blankly at her, admonished by her outburst. “It’s… it’s fine. Just… some things have happened recently that I really  _ don’t  _ feel like talking about yet and some parts of this story dig up old… friendships.” Rapunzel anxiously runs a hand through her hair. “But I’m fine! I have no problems with telling my favorite girls one of my most fun stories!” 

To emphasize her point, grinning, she pulls Cami close again and tickles her stomach, to which the young girl giggles and pushes her playfully away. Rapunzel concedes defeat and ruffles Cami’s hair as a last retaliation.

“So,” the princess begins, smiling softly at the twin pairs of brown eyes watching her with rapt attention. “I’d been home for six months and it was finally time for me to become the formal princess of Corona…”

~

They’d been on the road for about a week now, and Cassandra and Varian found themselves falling into a routine of sorts. Early in the morning, Cass would exit the parked caravan in search of food for her and her teenage companion. 

Usually, she would only get mildly lucky, bringing back a few birds that she’d knocked out of the sky with her bow but recently, she’d gotten a full deer, which was more than enough sustenance for about a week. Sometimes she’d find eggs and cook them for a nice breakfast. She’s long since noticed that eggs seemed to be Varian’s favorite, and (not to his knowledge of course) knowing that fact, Cass gathered eggs more often.

Owl was long since accustomed to following Cass through the forests, so of course he’d follow her on her hunting trips. However, what seriously boggled Cass’s mind was that the raccoon had taken to following her as well, and no matter how many times Cass took him back to the camp, she was never able to get rid of him.

“You need to stay here to protect the kid,” Cass had told him one morning, knowing full well that the racoon could understand her. “You know as well as I do that his sword skills are sub par and that his “chemical weapons” are just as likely to blow up in his face than they are to actually work.” But Ruddiger had simply tilted his head, the picture of innocence, scratching behind his ear and Cass had scoffed. But he had followed her again anyways, much to her dismay. 

Eventually, Cass just figured she’d talk to Owl about staying behind instead. He had an advantage in the air anyways, and could easily find Cass if anything went wrong while she was away. Plus, Owl was much less stubborn than that damn raccoon.

After she got back from her hunting trips, Cass would prepare breakfast for her and Varian while the kid slept in. She’d save some for later meals in Varian’s newly made cold machine (which he had named “The Ruddy 2000”) and, despite Varian’s disapproval, she’d throw some scraps of raw meat to the raccoon, who never strayed far from her side while she prepared the food.

Varian would wake up looking for food then, and day by day, Cass began to wonder why she hasn’t started training him to look for his own food. They’d eat breakfast together, conversation coming easier and easier as the time passed. Mostly, Varian would make up the majority of the conversation, with Cass piping in when she felt like it. 

Then they’d get on the road again, usually with Varian manning the reins, as he often expressed dismay over Cass doing all the work, which Cass never denied. But even though the kid insisted he’d man the reins for the whole day, Cass forced him to take breaks and she’d take over.

Sometimes, they’d take a break to eat or train. Despite the fact that she’d never tell him this, Cass was pleased with Varian’s progress. His movement could use some work still, as Varian has always had a propensity to trip, but Cass admired his persistence, and with his size and obvious intelligence, she doubts less and less that he’d be quite a formidable opponent in the future.

As the day progressed and the sun moved across the sky, Cass and Varian would get back on the road, searching for a decent place to set up camp for the night. In the beginning, Cass wanted to create a barrier of rocks around their campsites, but Varian had quickly expressed his disapproval, explaining that it would be easy to track them if there was a trail of rocks, or even a trail of holes where rocks had been. Cass had reluctantly agreed.

Then the sky would grow dark and Varian would start a fire, keeping it small to ward off potential lurkers or scavengers. He’d even invented a cover of sorts, which Cass still doesn’t understand (“To keep the smoke to a minimum! You know, Cass, statistics say that it’s mostly the smoke that bandits see, not the fire itself.”).

They’d have conversation over dinner again, Varian never seeming to run out of things to talk about. Cass quickly realized that Varian had a great way of telling stories; an engaging manner and style that made the most mundane of stories seem far more exciting than most books she’s read. Not that she doesn’t usually converse with Varian; he’s the only person within miles to even have a conversation with; but there’s something about a simple dinner, a nice fire (with a strange invention attached to it) and the moonlight that makes Varian ease into the role of storyteller, leaving Cass happy to just sit back and listen, content.

Then when they got tired, they’d head to bed, and Cass would pretend she wasn’t becoming attached to this teenage boy and his strange mind, simple yet sprawling. Sometimes she imagines what her life would be like if she hadn’t made that deal with the leader of Saporia, if she hadn’t rescued Varian from his prison cell. 

Cass remembers very little from her childhood, remembers being alone often, waiting for her mother to come home, and she wonders how she would have managed on her own. She’s slightly worried when the thought of being alone causes a swell of anxiety to sweep through her gut. In many ways, she’s grateful for the kid’s presence, sure she would go crazy if she was left to her own devices without another person there, but only when she’s sitting by that fire does she truly see his worth, and the consequences of that.

Because she’s very close to being  _ happy _ , out here in the middle of nowhere with a seemingly helpless kid, and she shouldn’t. The last time she was truly happy was when she was working for Rapunzel.

But isn’t Varian similar to Rapunzel? Cass found it easier to compare the two when she first started journeying with him, but as she spends more and more time with Varian, the differences become more apparent. Varian and Rapunzel are both insanely positive beings, yes, but Cass knew there was a darker side to the young man. Where Rapunzel sought forgiveness, Varian sought vengeance. Where Rapunzel dodged her darker emotions, Varian embraced them, could even sense them in Cass and sought to release her of them. Rapunzel is sunlight incarnate, where Varian is… almost a mixture of sun and moon, a complex contradiction of light and dark that mingle effortlessly, coupled with a quick mind, a sharp wit and a strange charisma.

Cass, who is presently gathering her hunting supplies for another day, shakes her head dismissively. She has a lot of time on her hands now that she’s separated herself from Corona, and most of that time goes into contemplating things, of which being her enigma of a travel companion. But she shouldn’t be contemplating him; she has work to do.

Cass swings her bow over her shoulders and straightens her cloak, casting a look to Varian’s room to see the door still closed. A corner of her mouth tilts up and she shakes her head again, this time in amazement. How the kid can sleep while the sun’s up is beyond her. Satisfied, Cass heads out into the morning, only to pause. She tilts her head, sure she’s forgetting something...

“Don’t worry. He’s right here.”

Spurred by instinct, Cass has her sword pulled out before another word can be spoken, pointing it… directly at Varian’s neck.

Cursing, Cass sheathes her sword before turning to glare at the kid. He returns her glare with a typical Varian-grin, and waves a bit for good measure. Cass rolls her eyes. “Kid, I’ve told you a thousand times, do  _ not  _ sneak up on me.”

“Sorry,” says Varian in a tone that suggests he’s nothing of the sort. He shrugs. “I forgot.”

Cass scoffs, adjusting the pack on her back as she continues casting him annoyed looks. Varian seems nonplussed, having long since become used to Cass and her prickly demeanor. “Of course you did,” Cass humors him sarcastically. “What are you doing up so early? Usually the smell of breakfast wakes you up.”

Varian shrugs again, hiding a small smile. “Wanted to change things up a bit,” he says, running a hand through his hair, a gesture that Cass recognizes as a nervous habit. “Thought maybe I’d come with you this time.” This time he grins hopefully at her, undeterred by Cass’s responding blank stare.

“Ah, no,” Cass replies. “I don’t think so.” She starts walking, even when Varian squawks in surprise, quickly sidling up besides her. Cass curses his long legs.

“But why?” Varian asks, his voice a whine. “Shouldn’t I learn how to do this for myself in case we get separated or something?”

Cass casts him a look over her shoulder, quirking an eyebrow. “Plotting something?”

Varian grins easily. “Of course not,” he says, and Cass grunts in reply. “Just tired of being useless.”

Cass pauses her stride, sighs, and continues walking. “You’re not useless, Varian.”

“Agree to disagree,” says Varian. “So can I come?”

“You’re following me, aren’t you?”

“Is that a yes?”

Cass gives him a pointed look. “Just don’t scare the animals away.”

Varian gives a mock bow, grinning madly. “Whatever milady commands.”

“Varian.”

“Yes, Cassie?”

“Shut up.”

“Yep, got it. Shutting up now.”

As they keep walking, Cass notices the new bounce to his step and the shit-eating grin on his face, and realizes belatedly that she didn’t correct his use of ‘Cassie’. 

Fuck.

~

Cassandra looks to the sky, her eyes trailing the small form circling them from above, Owl keeping watch over them, ready to dive down at the slightest inking of trouble. She smiles slightly to herself.

Cass has always liked the forest. She’s always thought herself similar to Rapunzel in that regard, feeling trapped in the castle, bogged down by all her duties and chores and looking for a life more fulfilling. Now here, outside the castle, she’s never felt more free. The air is crisp and new, and the forest alive with the sounds of native creatures. Usually, this morning hunt is a time for her to be alone with her thoughts, a time for her to take in the world around her.

“Ow!”

Cass sighs. But not today.

She turns around to see Varian holding his leg. When he notices she stopped, he sends her an embarrassed grin. “Heh, sorry Cass, just cut my leg.”

Cass’s eyes trail to the small scratch, then flick up to meet Varian’s eyes. “Don’t tell me you tripped on a branch.”

“Ehhh,” he shifts on his feet, staring sheepishly up at her with that perpetual grin. “It was a rock actually.”

Cass sighs again, watching the raccoon pat his hands on the wound, making sounds of concern. “He’s fine, Ruddiger,” she says to the raccoon, who chitters furiously at her in return before crawling back up his owner and settling on his shoulders. “Come on,” Cass says. “Stay close to me.” She casts another glance to the sky, satisfied to see Owl still circling above.

“Can do, Cassie-oh,” Varian says, and Cass groans. She wisely ignores the nickname again, eyes sweeping the terrain in search of life, narrowing her eyes when she catches nothing.

“Nothing here,” says Cass softly, looking back at Varian. “We’re gonna need to go deeper into the woods.”

Varian snorts. “She says as if we’re not  _ already  _ deep into the woods.” When Cass just stares at him, he chuckles. “Heh, sorry. Carry on.”

Cass glares at him a moment more, before rolling her eyes and continuing forward. “You want to learn to hunt? First lesson, always be vigilant.”

Varian nods sagely. “Vigilant. Got it.” He shoots her a finger gun, pretending to shoot it at something random in the forest. “So why don’t I have one of those bows? You have to be like a level five hunter to use that bad boy?”

“I’m not giving you a weapon yet, kid,” says Cass. “You’re here to observe and learn. Nothing more.”

“Gotcha.”

Her eyes graze the surroundings, noting the layout of the land and the placement of the trees. She pops a finger in her mouth and holds it up, trying to gauge the wind direction. Good for now, but she may need to prompt Varian to move accordingly if any prey shows up downwind. Despite that, this should be a good place to stop. “We’ll stop here.”

“You’re the boss,” says Varian. He watches with confusion as Cass crouches down below the brush so her eyes have a good vantage point. “Soo, what are we doing now?” he asks, kneeling besides her.

“Waiting,” Cass replies. “Second tip - be as quiet and still as possible.” She looks pointedly at him, the hint of a smirk quirking her lip up. “Shouldn’t be too hard for you should it? You can shut up for what? Thirty seconds?”

“Ha-ha,” Varian laughs sardonically. But there’s no further commentary from him, and Cass considers that a victory in itself. She rolls her eyes and continues watching. 

They sit for an untold amount of time, Owl circling above and Varian at her side, feeling the wind blow, rustling her cropped hair against her neck. There have been a few sightings, deer which Cass missed her shot. Varian’s breathing is a little loud, and he fidgets every so often, but Cass is overall impressed with his silence. Occasionally, her companion would sigh as if bored, and at some point, Ruddiger had climbed down from Varian’s shoulder and now sat vigilantly between her and Varian. 

This was par for the course. The first few times he had come along, Cass had to push him off her shoulder, insisting that he was in the way, and eventually, the raccoon took the hint and repositioned himself so he was by Cass’s side.

Varian seems to find the raccoon’s behavior funny for some reason, and Cass has to glare at him to make him stop chuckling under his breath.

“I told you, Ruddiger likes you,” Varian says promptly. “He usually likes to stay inside.”

“He’s a raccoon,” Cass counters in disbelief. “A wild animal. He should like to be  _ out _ side.”

Varian gasps in surprise. “Okay, I get he’s a raccoon, but a  _ wild animal? _ No, no, no.” He pets the raccoon’s head, and Ruddiger coos appreciatively, rubbing his head against Varian’s hand like a house cat. Cassandra rolls her eyes.

“I mean I guess he’s a little wild,” Varian was still talking. “Sometimes he hisses if I try to take away his food and sometimes he crawls on the bannister looking like some kinda cave creature but-”

“Shh.” Cass, who had before been watching the raccoon in question, holds her hand up when she sees him stiffen, tail sticking straight up and nose pointed to attention.

“Wow,  _ rude _ -” 

Cass shushes him promptly by pressing a gloved hand to his mouth. He makes a muffled sound of indignation before Cass points to the doe emerging from the trees downwind of them, its big eyes vigilant and ears perked. After a moment of silence, the doe’s ears flick and she bends her head over, beginning to graze again. Cass sighs subtly in relief. Then she turns to Varian.

_ Stay here,  _ she mouths at him. When he tilts his head, clearly not reading her lips, Cass rolls her eyes and points to the ground.  _ Stay. Here,  _ she mouths again, making the words more prominent, and this time Varian understands. He nods, and Cass begins to move to get a better vantage point, Ruddiger padding along silently at her side.

Watching the doe, Cass creeps along the side of the brush, making as little noise as possible. Once she’s satisfied she’s far enough downwind and that she has a good angle, she snags the bow and, quiet as a mouse, she draws the arrow back, focusing her attention on her target. The doe notices nothing out of the ordinary, her great head bowed, still grazing quietly.

Cass shuts one eye, inhales silently and lets the arrow loose.

Her shot isn’t one of her greatest. The arrow hits the doe in the gut and she takes off running. Cass curses under her breath, hurriedly pushing the bushes aside before charging after the deer, Ruddiger quickly taking the lead. A shout and cracking branches signify that Varian’s following.

She doesn’t stop for him, continuing to run through the trees after the raccoon, who weaves in and out, his small grey form slinking rather quickly along the forest floor, leading the way with his sharp nose. He chitters at Cass, motioning for her to follow with his little paw. Cass rolls her eyes.

“I’m coming, ‘coon,” she grunts, and he hurries on ahead.

“Cass, wait!” Varian calls from behind her. When she stops and stares expectantly at him, he jogs to her side, heaving heavily before bending over, out of breath “What...the...hell…” he wheezes. “Are we... _ running _ for? Didn’t it get away?”

Now a grin creeps across Cass’s lips as she spots what Ruddiger’s sitting proudly beside, preening himself. “Nope,” she says, approaching the fallen doe. Varian cringes at the violent sight.

“Ohhh…yeah...” he trails off, and scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. “Usually I stay in the caravan for a reason. I, uh, now remember why. I hate seeing stuff like this.”

Cass rolls her eyes and kneels besides the deer, smiling at her furry companion. “Good work as usual,” she commends, and gives the raccoon a scratch behind his ear before gathering the fallen carcass on her back with a grunt.

“Ah, Cass? You sure you don’t want me to…”

With some difficulty, Cass turns to look at him with a disbelieving expression. “You can barely stand to look at this thing,” she reminds him. “Now you want to touch it?”

Varian pulls a face. “Good point.”

Cass nods and begins to make her way back, looking to the sky to search for Owl. It’s times like this when Owl is especially useful. Times when Cass wanders further away than she originally planned. Owl is perched on one of the trees above, yellow eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he regards the pair of them. Cass calls up to him. “Think you can lead us back to the site?”

Owl gives them something reminiscent of a nod and takes flight, making sure to be seen as he flies one direction.

“This way,” says Cass.

~

“So…” Varian says awkwardly. “You usually work that hard out here, buddy? Gotta say, I expected you to do pretty much nothing like you usually do, fat bitch.”

Cass makes a face, prepared to turn around and yell at him for talking to her that way, when she realizes Varian’s talking to Ruddiger. She sighs instead. “Yeah, he does. I think he likes doing something important.”

“Nah, that’s not how Ruddy rolls,” Varian replies. “He probably does it so he gets treats.” He looks at her pointedly. “Don’t think I don’t know you feed him while I’m not looking. No wonder he likes you so much.”

Cass says nothing, narrowing her eyes at a strange note. Varian’s still talking, but she’s zoned him out at this point, hearing hushed voices beyond the trees. Owl perches just above her, his gaze focused on something beyond.

Something’s wrong.

Cass freezes and puts an arm out to Varian to do the same. He looks at her strangely, taking note of her apprehension, apparently not hearing whatever Cass is hearing.

“Cass, what’s wrong?”

“Shh,” she whispers, and he goes quiet. When his eyes widen, and he looks to her panicked, Cass knows he can hear the voices too.

“How far are we from the campsite?” he whispers to her, and Cass looks around, cursing when she recognizes her surroundings.

“Not far. Not far at all,” she says, and then, “We’re not alone.”

~

It’s late when Rapunzel finishes telling the story, her tired mind filled with memories of Cassandra. They pound at her head, refusing to let her think of anything else and she’s beginning to fear that the grief would overtake her.

_ I tried to warn you, Rapunzel. You have to be careful who you trust. _

More images fill her head, threatening to consume her. Rapunzel holds back a sob as she tucks Cami into bed.

“Mmm,” the sleepy sound the little one utters brings her out of her grief filled loop. Cami shifts in her bed, a little lump underneath the covers and blinks sleepily up at Rapunzel. She smiles. “Thanks for telling us a story, Rapunzel,” she says, rubbing her eyes. “You’re really good at storytelling.”

Rapunzel melts. “Thanks, Cami,” she whispers. “You’re a really good listener.” When the little one closes her eyes, her breathing regulating quickly, Rapunzel presses a quick kiss on her forehead before rising from her bed, headed to her room for the night. However, Evie seems to have other plans, for she quickly climbs out of her own bed, eyes locked on Rapunzel.

“Rapunzel!” she whispers. “Hold on.”

Rapunzel casts a glance at Cami, sleeping peacefully in her big bed, and shakes her head, motioning for Evie to follow her out the room. Evie nods, also looking to Cami, and quickly sidles up to Rapunzel, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Rapunzel rubs her eyes tiredly. “Okay,” she says. “What do you have to tell me?”

Evie looks as if she’s hesitating, and Rapunzel shakes her head, softening under the girl’s uncertainty. The princess places a hand on her shoulder, and Evie looks up at her.

“Hey, you know you can tell me. I’m not gonna bite you.”

Evie nods, biting her lip. “I… I don’t think you should conceal your emotions like that. Obviously something’s bothering you, and I just wanted to say you can talk to me. I’ve always been pretty good at stuff like this. Just call me the royal psychiatrist.”

Rapunzel smiles, ruffling Evie’s hair. “And I will, I promise,” she says quietly. “I just need to figure it out a little first, that’s all.”

Evie seems to disagree, but she nods. “Okay.”

“Night, Evie,” Rapunzel says with a kind smile, hugging the girl before turning to head back in the direction of her room.

“Oh! I forgot. Did you ever figure out what those rocks were? The ones the moonstone causes?”

Rapunzel freezes. She turns around to see Evie shifting awkwardly on her feet, avoiding her gaze. “You know about the moonstone?”

Evie raises her head, her brown eyes wise and thoughtful and so very penetrating. Rapunzel takes an unwilling step back, a chill rocketing through her body causing goosebumps to erupt across her arms. 

“The moonstone destroys,” says Evie. “And the person it chooses to do its bidding is supposed to be destructive too. They’ll be opposite you in nearly every way and they’re destined to set Zhan Tiri loose on this world. Their destiny is entwined with yours.” As if worried she said too much, Evie squeaks, covering her mouth with her hands.

“What do you mean, Evie?” Rapunzel asks. “What do you know?”

Evie shakes her head rapidly, her eyes suddenly fearful, and without speaking another word, she whirls around, shutting the door behind her. And with that, Rapunzel is alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SUCK!!!
> 
> So what, I disappear for like three months? Lame, sorry. I gotta admit I had a bit of a writers block for awhile and I got into Merlin a little more than I expected to. But I’m on a ‘blue’ kick now and I don’t know where that’s gonna head. Hopefully it results in me spitting out more chapters. Anyways, this chapter was a bit of a filler, but more interesting stuff coming in the next chapter. Hopefully you all haven’t abandoned me and this story! I love your positive comments and hope to read more in the future.
> 
> Until next time, bro bros.


	12. more than you will ever know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song I listened to when writing this chapter - Genesis, by Ruelle (just in case anyone's curious)

Varian wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he decided to tag along with Cassandra on one of her morning hunting trips but it sure wasn’t this.

Currently, he and his unlikely companion, his raccoon and her owl, are lurking in the trees just beyond their current campsite, and his heart pounds rapidly as he listened to the unfamiliar voices. Frantically, he looks to Cassandra, a habit he picked up from spending all his time with her, to see emotions playing out in her fluorescent blue eyes. Anger, surprise, and a quiet contemplation that signified her sharp mind was ticking away, currently working out what to do.

But before she could do anything, even look at Varian, he feels something - as best he can describe it - materialize behind them. His head snaps back to Cassandra, startled, and watches with wide eyes as she’s clubbed over the head and her knees buckle. Varian rushes to catch her before she falls to the ground, a scream ripping from his throat, but before he can make it to her, a sharp pain resonates through his own head and everything goes black before he can even contemplate what’s happening.

~

It’s the middle of the night and Rapunzel’s sitting in her room, contemplating Evelyn’s words. 

 _The moonstone destroys_.

Rapunzel, of course, knows that already. She had seen firsthand how powerful the moonstone could be, how destructive and parasitic the rocks had been as they tried mercilessly to find her. She assumes it’s only natural. There has to be a balance in the world, as Mother Gothel always told her. Light and dark, good and evil, right and wrong, creation and destruction. The world’s way of keeping itself balanced.

_And the person it chooses to do its bidding is supposed to be destructive too._

This was new information to Rapunzel. The person the moonstone chooses? Wasn’t that supposed to be her? Didn’t Adira tell her that she was the only person who could neutralize the moonstone? Wasn’t there only supposed to be one person in the prophecy? She thought for a moment that Evie was talking about her, but Rapunzel had spent the past few hours of the night restless, running the words over and over through her mind.

Destructive? Was she destructive? Rapunzel supposes so; she’s been told more than enough that she’s a force to be reckoned with, a hurricane that rips through the kingdom of Corona, but she always ends up _saving_ the kingdom, not destroying it. And then there’s the fact that Rapunzel has the sinking feeling that Evie hadn’t been referring to her at all.

But…

There was still Cassandra.

Rapunzel had always thought of her handmaiden as a friend. A strange friend, the most unlikely one she’d ever come across, but there had always been something that drew her to Cassandra. Like a magnetic pull that drove them together and prompted Rapunzel to work hard at befriending her. Rapunzel hadn’t told anyone about this, had barely even realized it had been happening until Evie blew her mind last night, but it had been there, subtle like a constant hum.

And if there was anyone more destructive than her, it was Cassandra.

Her handmaiden had been impulsive, always looking for a fight, pulling out her sword if anyone got on her nerves. She was prickly and private, Rapunzel’s opposite in nearly every way. And when she had grabbed the moonstone right out from Rapunzel’s nose and jammed it into her own chest, the wave of power Rapunzel had felt ripple through the air had taken her breath away.

Cassandra had fled leaving a trail of destruction, her shining blue hair turning back to black as she ran away, ripping Edmund’s castle apart with the sheer power she radiated. Rapunzel hadn’t had enough time to reflect on the strange shift in the universe then, too hurt by Cassandra’s betrayal to think properly. But now?

Now that she thinks of it, the shift felt more like a decrease in entropy than an increase in one. Like the universe was rewriting itself, shifting itself into equilibrium… into near perfect _balance._

_They’ll be opposite you in nearly every way…_

Gold hair and black hair. Tanned, freckled skin and skin that was pale, unblemished. Smiles and scowls, cheery and sullen dispositions. Open about feelings and private about them. Optimistic and cynical. Light and dark. Forgiveness and vengeance.

Sun and moon.

But there was no way Cassandra was the person Evie was referring to, was it? As far as Rapunzel knew, Evie had never even _met_ Cassandra.

But as Rapunzel thought about it more, her former handmaiden was beginning to fit the picture Evie had painted.

... _they’re destined to set Zhan Tiri loose on this world._

Rapunzel shakes her head, covering her ears. No, she wouldn’t believe that. No matter what Cassandra was now, she didn’t - _couldn’t_ \- believe Cassandra would do that. She knew what Zhan Tiri was, and what he yearned to do, trapped as he was. Cassandra had a firm set of morals, and releasing a demon wasn’t within her code. It couldn’t be. Rapunzel refuses to believe anything different.

_Their destiny is entwined with yours._

If the person connected to the moonstone (Rapunzel refuses to believe it’s Cassandra) was destined to release Zhan Tiri, then Rapunzel was destined to stop them. They were destined to be enemies, if what Evie says happens to be true, two beings incarnate of the sun and moon. Kin.

And if it was her, if Adira was right all along… Rapunzel doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to forgive herself.

A knock on her bedroom door brings her out of her head, jolting her up from her bed. Rapunzel stares at the door in shock, casts a glance to the window (still dark) and then back to the door. Who would possibly be knocking at this hour? 

Fatigue sets in her bones, replacing the shock. She hasn’t been able to sleep, thinking through every single one of Evie’s words, and it’s beginning to take its toll on her. She can feel the fatigue setting in her bones, and can tell Pascal is worried about her.

Speaking of the chameleon, Pascal had scurried to the door as soon as the person on the other end knocked, puzzling Rapunzel. Pascal didn’t interact with anyone he wasn’t familiar with, and even if someone was familiar with him, he never actively met them at the door.

Except for one…

Rapunzel’s heart skips a beat, and suddenly wide awake, she sprints to the door after Pascal, swinging it open with vigor.

“Sunshine!” A familiar voice exclaims, warm brown eyes regarding her fondly.

With a cry, Rapunzel throws herself into his warm embrace, taking in his scent, his feel, him. She had missed him so much these past few days without even realizing it, had missed his council, his support, his ideas. She’d missed him.

Eugene’s arms wrap around her immediately, and Rapunzel presses her face into his chest, unable to breathe, but not presently caring. Eugene is here. Eugene is okay. Eugene is here.

“Geez, someone sure missed you,” another familiar voice jokes, chuckling. Rapunzel reluctantly pulls herself out of Eugene’s embrace and heads over to Lance, who holds his arms out expectantly, waggling his eyebrows. “Don’t I get a hug too?”

“Of course!” Rapunzel grins and throws her arms around the man, barely getting them around his broad physique. Lance laughs and, picking her up, twirls her around. Eugene coughs non-subtly, and she turns around to face him, smiling a smile only he can bring out.

When Rapunzel pulls away, she heads back over to Eugene, allowing him to pull his arms back securely around her and placing her head underneath his chin. She observes Lance quietly, before realizing something is missing from this otherwise happy reunion. Rapunzel frowns and pulls away again, surveying the two men.

“Wasn’t Adira supposed to be with you?”

Lance and Eugene exchange a look before their eyes simultaneously flit back to Rapunzel, who has raised both her eyebrows, impatient for an answer. Eugene rubs the back of his head. “Ah, weeeellll, we kinda split up,” he says, casting a glance at Lance. “You see, the tall person thought it would be best if she looked for Cassandra and the kid on her own. Crazy, right?! Lance and I are _great_ at tracking!”

Rapunzel raises an eyebrow.

“Okay, okay! Fine. Tracking, not my strong suit. But lemme tell ya… research? Not my strong suit either.”

Rapunzel furrows her brow. “Research? What kind of research?”

“Well Adira said something about there being, uh, more,” says Lance. “Ya know, more info on the sundrop and moonstone somewhere.”

The image of a slight girl, caramel skin, kind brown eyes and a head of unruly brown curls pops into her head unbidden. _The moonstone destroys. And the person it chooses to do its bidding is supposed to be destructive too._ Her hesitance to speak, and the strange way she evaded Rapunzel’s questions. _Their destiny is entwined with yours._ Rapunzel bites her lip, and brushes a wayward strand of blonde hair back from her face, frowning.

“Blondie,” Eugene prods, eyes narrowed. “If you know something, now’s not the time to keep it a secret. Adira said…”

“I know what Adira said,” Rapunzel interrupts. “Cass only has a little while if she still has the moonstone. But… what if…” she steels herself. “What if Adira’s wrong?”

Eugene blinks at her for a moment, and then cracks up laughing. “Oh, oh, that’s rich. Adira? Wrong? Blondie, lemme tell you, if she is wrong about Cassandra then you can bet I’ll be the first one to rub it in her face.”

Rapunzel punches him in the arm. “I’m serious!” she cries. “A lot’s happened here while you were gone. There are these kids, two girls… they know something.”

Lance and Eugene exchange another glance. “Hold on,” says Eugene. “Kids? Girls? Is one tall and one short? Does the tall one have red hair?”

Rapunzel furrows her brow. “Red hair? No,” she confirms, and sends Eugene a puzzled glance. “They’re slave sisters, from Dos Equus. They’ve been staying in the castle and I told my parents I’d watch them.”

“So you’re like their babysitter?”

“Eugene!”

“Okay, okay, fine, I’ll stop. But you have to at least tell me what’s going on.”

Rapunzel sends a quick glance around before pulling both men into her room. Because propriety is still relevant, and even though Rapunzel herself doesn’t care, she thinks her parents might object to having Lance in her room at this time of night. Not like she’s going to tell them. Rapunzel’s eyes flick to the sisters’ closed door not of their own accord. She frowns contemplatively, her eyes sweeping the empty hallway once more before she quietly shuts the door behind her.

Once the two men are in the room, Rapunzel wastes no time giving them the low down, explaining Evie and Cami’s arrival, their inevitable bonding with her, and the many times they shared together. Rapunzel hesitates before telling Eugene and Lance about what Evie had said a few hours ago, but ultimately, since Eugene knows her so well, they manage to pry it from her.

“Blondie, you can’t keep this from us,” Eugene points out to her, walking over to where Rapunzel sits, looking out at Corona from her window. He takes her hand and looks into her eyes. “We’re in this together remember?”

Rapunzel softens under his gaze, comforting and familiar and wonderful. She squeezes his hand and brings it up to kiss it. “I know,” she says gently. “It’s just…” she trails off, pain resonating in her chest.

Eugene squeezes her hand tighter. “Just?” he prompts, eyes soft. Rapunzel smiles sadly, and looks away. She’s suddenly very aware that Lance is still here, inconspicuously looking at some of the books on her shelf.

Eugene follows her gaze and understanding fills his. He quickly takes action and coughs conspicuously. “Hey, uh, Lance?”

Lance, who obviously _wasn’t_ listening to their conversation, asks, “Yeah?”

Eugene nods his head towards the door. “You think you can give us a little time here?”

Lance frowns. “Wait, what? Oh.” Understanding clears in his eyes. _“Oh!”_ A smirk creeps across his lips and he gives Eugene the finger gun. “I gotchu. Exiting the room now.”

Eugene rolls his eyes as Lance shuts the door behind him. Rapunzel graces her love with a mischievous, almost sultry look.

“You think he…”

“Yep,” Eugene nods, and turns to shout at the door. “Buddy, I know you’re still there! Give us a little space why don’t you!”

Rapunzel snorts when she hears the barely audible footsteps that signify Lance finally stepping from the door, and Eugene looks at her fondly while she laughs.

“You found that funny, did you?”

Rapunzel, still laughing, nods, smiling at him.

Eugene squeezes her hand, smiling himself. “I missed seeing you laugh,” he tells her. “You were so quiet on the way back from the Dark Kingdom, Sunshine. It scared me a little. More than a little.”

At this, Rapunzel attempts to smile at her love, but he has always been able to read her better than most. Sometimes she finds it disconcerting, but now, she just needs it. She had spent so much time with the girls, which provided a suitable distraction from all of her problems, but only now, seeing him, being with him, does she feel the hole in her heart fill. She’d missed him so much, and she hadn’t realized how much his absence had affected her.

Rapunzel sighs, looking out to the sleeping kingdom, her kingdom, Eugene’s hand in hers keeping her steady, anchoring her to the world. “I missed you,” she whispers, and bites back a sob. Her shoulders slump, the weight of the situation bearing down on her, and she averts her eyes. “I miss Cass.”

Rapunzel feels Eugene’s arms wrap securely around her, bringing her flush against his chest. She leans into his embrace, desperate to leech some of the calm certainty burning steadily at his center. 

Rapunzel nuzzles him with her head, searching for that one place where his neck meets his shoulder, and when she finds it, she presses her nose to it, tucking her head securely under his chin. Immediately, some of the weight lifts from her chest and it’s just Rapunzel and Eugene again, like it had always been and always will be. She sighs, and his arms tighten protectively around her. There’s silence for a little while, the two just reconciling, reveling in the other’s presence.

“I know,” she feels Eugene take a breath, his voice rumbling in his chest. “I didn’t think I ever would, but… I miss her too, Rapunzel. She was kinda like the sarcastic, prickly older sister that I never wanted.”

Rapunzel laughs again, and raises her gaze to look at him. She hesitates for the briefest moment before gently placing her hand on his cheek and looking into his eyes. “I love you,” she says.

He softens in the way he only can around her, and places one of his hands on top of hers. “I love you too, Rapunzel. In a way I’ve never loved anyone.” His hand comes up to unhook the ties holding her hair back, and it seems to respond to his touch, curling around his fingers like silk.

 “I missed you, you know,” her love continues, eyes unfocused, running through her hair. “Not just your laugh. I missed seeing you smile, I missed your face, I missed your optimism.” He casts a glance to Pascal, who’s turned a shade of embarrassed red besides Rapunzel. “Missed the frog.” Rapunzel laughs at the affronted look on her best friend’s face. Eugene cups her face gently, prompting her to turn towards him again. “We’ll get her back,” he says, and Rapunzel’s smile fades at the mention of Cassandra. She turns away.

“What if it’s over?” she asks softly. “What if we’ve lost her forever?”

“Oh, come on, Blondie, don’t be like that,” says Eugene. “It’s usually you trying to cheer me up, not the other way around.”

Rapunzel looks at him, feeling her eyes tear up. She struggles with the next words, unused to being rendered speechless. But fear grips her like a shadowy hand, and all she can see are fluorescent blue eyes locked on hers, flaming with fury. She breaks. “I’m scared,” she admits. “I never wanted any of this to happen. First Varian, now Cassandra. Is there something wrong with me?”

Eugene is quick to reassure her. “Sunshine, no. No, of course there’s nothing wrong with you. Varian and Cass are just different from you, that’s all. Cass especially is a very private person, and she takes trust very seriously.”

Rapunzel slumps again. “I don’t even know what I did,” she says softly. “To have her turn on me. Maybe I’ve been unfair to her in the past, not taking her advice, underestimating her…” she sobs minutely, putting her head in her hands. “I just want her back.”

He pulls her against her again, allowing her the solace of his embrace. “And we’ll get her back,” Eugene tells her. “I promise you, Rapunzel. I’ll never stop until we get her back.”

Fear quickly ensnares her in its icy grip again, and her hands tighten around his shirt. All her life she’s been neglected, her feelings ignored and her self esteem destroyed. And then she had found her purpose, her love and her new life. She had been welcomed with open arms only to experience a sadness of the worst kind. The people she loves keep turning on her. What if someday, she’s not enough for Eugene anymore? What if she does something she can’t take back? What if she never is able to stop making mistakes, saying sorry as if it can excuse them?

“Rapunzel?” Eugene asks, sensing the shift in the air. “Are you okay? Talk to me.”

Rapunzel sobs again. “What if I lose everything?” she asks. “What if… what if I lose you?”

She feels him shake his head. “No,” he says resolutely. “You can’t think like that. Rapunzel, you’re never going to lose me. I’m not going anywhere.”

Rapunzel doesn’t move, her head resting against his chest. She’s not convinced, not yet. Cassandra had once said the exact same thing, and now Cassandra hates her.

“Rapunzel?”

She shakes her head.

“Look at me.”

Rapunzel presses tighter against him. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lose you too.”

“Sunshine,” he says softly, and pulls away from her. She’s thrown by the loss of contact, and is immediately pulled back into her worst memories again. Hours, days being alone, having no one besides Pascal to talk to, to listen to her. No one to hug, no warm arms to welcome her home.

But he grips her arms tightly, and she’s brought quickly back to reality by the sheer love she sees brewing in Eugene’s warm brown eyes. “I will never leave you,” he says with a firm conviction, tightening his grip on her arms. “I can’t imagine life without you in it. Not anymore. Rapunzel, I’m in this for the long haul. Anything you need, I’ll provide for you. You know you can talk to me about anything.”

“Promise?” she whispers weakly.

“You don’t even have to ask,” says Eugene with a sad smile. “I told you, and I meant it; I love you more than I ever loved anything. I will never, _ever_ leave your side. Not unless you ask me to.”

Rapunzel laughs tearily. “I don’t think I can do that again,” she admits to him. “I missed you more than you will ever know.”

“And I’ll say it again,” says Eugene. “I’ll never stop saying it. I love you, Rapunzel of Corona. I love you. More than you will ever know. And I promise you, we will drag Miss Ice Princess back into the land of the sane. It’s you and me, Rapunzel. Always.”

She does smile now, a smile shining and true, devoid of sadness or grief. “More than you will ever know,” she repeats softly. “I love you.”

“If this is a competition,” says Eugene. “I don’t think you can win.”

She laughs again, giving her love a mischievous look. “Care to bet on that?”

Eugene backtracks quickly. “No, not really.” He tilts his head. “You got that look in your eye.”

Rapunzel punches him in the arm, and smiles up at him. “Thanks for coming back to me.”

Eugene scrunches his nose. “Like I could ever stay away. I told you, I’m not going any-”

He’s interrupted promptly by her lips on his, and Rapunzel is delighted to see his eyes widen in surprise before he kisses her back with just as much passion as she bestowed upon him. Rapunzel climbs into his lap, deepening the kiss. His hair curls around her fingers, welcoming her home. 

And he is her home. Rapunzel, who has never truly had a home, realizes with startling clarity that she doesn’t really need one. Not a material one. The tower was never her home, and the castle had been empty these last few days without him by her side. Her partner in crime.

But here, with him, she’s in her rightful place. Rapunzel and Eugene were made for each other, even at the most basic level, their bodies fitting together like the final piece of the puzzle. And his hands are in her hair, he’s pressing small, devoted kisses across her face, her nose, her eyes and her lips, making her laugh. 

He is her home. He has been for a long time.

Desperately, Rapunzel brings her love closer, starved for his touch. She doesn’t think she can take it if he leaves her, doesn’t know how much more hurt her tired heart can take. She kisses him with a frantic passion, searching for the comfort that she so desperately needs, that he so readily gives her. Eugene responds with the same urgency, and it’s only then that Rapunzel realizes that every word he told her was true. He had missed her just as much as she’d missed her.

_I love you._

The words go unspoken, shimmering in the air between them, and Rapunzel is flying for the first time in days, her grief far away. It’s times like this when she forgets who she is, where she is, and what she needs to do. For a few moments, there is no prophecy, no looming darkness, no kingdom. She is not a princess, and he is not below her. Here, they are simply Rapunzel and Eugene, two people in love, desperate for each other.

As if in a dream, without even realizing what she’s doing, her hands are tugging on his shirt, wanting any barriers between them gone. Eugene quickly pulls back, and she makes a frustrated sound, just looking at him.

“Rapunzel?” he gasps, breathing hard.

“Why did you stop?” She hears the desperation in her voice, her chest rising and falling with sheer raw emotion.

“I don’t know that this is…”

Rapunzel silences him with another kiss, hurt when he pulls away yet again. A sound rips from her throat, and he looks at her with astonishment. Her cheeks color with embarrassment, and she quickly realizes that his shoulder’s bare before her. Her eyes are drawn to it, and she’s filled with a passion, a fire she’s never felt before. Doesn’t he understand? Doesn’t he know how much she’s missed him? How much she needs him now? Doesn’t he see?

She tries to convey her emotions with her eyes, that he is her everything, where she stops and where she begins. But she has never been one to convey anything silently, and so she simply cups his cheek and whispers, “It’s okay. It’s what I want.”

His eyes soften, and his resolve seems to dissolve under her certainty. His hand comes up to cup hers. “Are you sure?” he asks, looking vulnerable and small in the small strip of moonlight that illuminates him.

Rapunzel nods. “I’ve never been more sure about anything,” she tells him, and means it.

“But your parents…”

“They never have to know,” Rapunzel shakes her head. “And even if they find out, I’ll take the blame. Promise.”

Eugene shakes his head, and her hope falls just a little. “But, Rapunzel… you could end up with child.”

She cups his face in her hands, desperate to convince him of this. This is right, she knows. Him with her and she with him. Them together. There has never been anything so right. She has to convince him, she will make him see. But her love is uncertain, she can see that in his eyes, uncertain of who he is, and what he’s going to do. He’s a prince, just as she’s a princess, and together, they will make this kingdom their own.

He’s going to be king one day, ruling alongside her, and Rapunzel would accept nothing else, no one else but him. The fire in her stomach is roaring, reaching for him, desperate for all of him. He’ll come to accept who he is in full one day. Rapunzel knows better than anyone how difficult it is to adjust. She’ll help him. But for now, she can only give him one thing besides the weight of her body on his. Rapunzel inches closer and cups his face with one hand, guiding his gaze to hers. “I love you, Eugene,” she whispers, putting all conviction she has in those four words.

And apparently, her words seem to have some affect. Her love’s eyes soften, then harden with determination, and before she knows it, his lips are back on hers with a passion that nearly rivals the fire in her belly. She chuckles against him, because she knows beyond a doubt that this is right, he trapped in her embrace and she in hers.

She makes a delighted sound when his arms tighten securely around her, lifting her off the windowsill and into his arms. Rapunzel wraps her legs around his waist, still kissing him furiously, and then they start to move to the bed, his hands trailing fiery patterns on her skin that she feels through her thin nightgown.

_I love you._

She pours all her love into their kiss, feeling a delicate shiver run down her spine when he presses gentle kisses at the place where her neck meets her shoulder. This is where she belongs. This is her home.

_More than you will ever know._

~

Varian slowly comes back into consciousness, the world spinning around him. What the hell had happened? The last thing he remembers is hunting with Cassandra, her killing that deer, and then…

He bolts upright, fear shooting through him. _Cassandra!_

Whoever had been raiding their caravan had caught them, had knocked them out before they could even think of retaliating. Varian takes a deep breath, remembering something his dad had taught him to counter his anxiety.

_Deep breaths, Varian. Just take a few deep breaths and look around. Know your surroundings before doing something rash._

He inhales deeply again, trying to calm his rapidly racing heart, and then forces his eyes to adjust to the lack of light in the room. It’s dark outside now, and the room is lit by a single lantern, glowing softly and casting shadows on the wall behind it. Varian stares at it, his mind racing. He’s still in the caravan, he realizes quickly. His and Cassandra’s caravan. Good to know. At least he knows the area, recognizes the lay out of the room to be the sitting room, the room Jax had held him in when he’d been tortured for five days.

He takes another deep breath to push away the rising panic in him, and forces himself to keep surveying the room. _Focus, Varian. Figure it out, it’s what you’re good at._

His eyes immediately fall on a dark mass of a person, crumpled up in the corner opposite him. Fear grips him instinctually, at first for himself, and then his heart begins to race when his eyes adjust, and he can just make out a familiar soft blue glow, and the dark shine of hair set alight by the bare light of the single lantern. Varian takes a closer look, making out her sharp features softened in her forced sleep. The slope of her nose, her relaxed mouth, and her peacefully closed eyes.

Now panic grips him. Panic for her. He tries to move, to make his way to her, but is stopped by a chain around his ankle. Varian curses, his head swiveling around to face her again. The moonstone’s eerie blue glow is another source of light, just slightly concealed by the weight of her cloak. Her chest rises and falls, and Varian thinks that she’s never looked more peaceful.

Now if only she could look peaceful when they weren’t about to die.

“Cass!” he hisses, groaning when pain rushes through his head. Damn, he hopes he doesn’t have a concussion. “Cass, can you hear me?”

The loud sound of laughter, muffled by the door, makes Varian jolt, and he freezes. But the voices beyond don’t respond to his, and he relaxes, sighing in relief before turning his attention back to the still unconscious Cassandra. He needs to get her awake. Cass can’t do anything while she’s unconscious, and he knows she’s the best chance to get them out of this predicament.

“Cassandra!” he hisses again, trying to move towards her. The chain links binding him clink angrily as he reaches the point where he can’t move anymore, and undeterred, Varian reaches his hand out with a grunt, trying to reach her. “Cass, you have to wake up!”

His hand shakes, and just barely, his fingertips, trying to reach her face, brush her hair. But she doesn’t wake up.

Then, suddenly, an idea comes to him.

Varian redirects his hand to her chest, her words from before echoing through his mind as her words repeat in his head. _Don’t touch it._ The soft glow of the moonstone is almost alluring, illuminating his gloved hand as it shakes with effort. He grunts, straining himself. Almost there. The moonstone seems to wait for his touch, as if it, like him, wants Cassandra to wake up.

Then finally, his fingertips brush the smooth surface, and he’s surprised to learn that the stone isn’t cold like he originally thought, but burning hot, pulsing energy writhing like something alive. Varian only has a second to marvel at the strange beauty of it before it starts to glow brighter. And brighter. 

Just as he’s starting to realize that the moonstone reacting isn’t a good sign, a streak of lightning erupts from the moonstone, setting the room alight in blue. For a brief moment, it chases away the shadows, and there is only blue. With its own force, the moonstone forces him into the air and away from Cassandra, and a blinding pain like he had never felt before surges through his body like electricity. He crumbles back on the ground with a moan of pain, shock and residual pain coursing through him.

 _Well,_ Varian thinks, his mind spinning. _Never doing_ that _again._

Then, fluorescent blue eyes snap open, and Cassandra gasps. She jolts up, her eyes a beacon in the dark. Where they used to strike fear into Varian’s heart, now they serve to comfort him, to remind him he no longer has to be alone. They snap to him and widen in confusion. “Kid, what did you just-?”

She doesn’t have time to finish that sentence, for a second later, the door slams open, and Varian yelps. He takes in a figure, masculine and lithe, but built, that enters the room, going immediately to the candles. Varian exchanges a glance with Cassandra, whose eyes narrow distrustfully, watching him light the candles one by one without saying a word.

When he’s done, he takes a seat at the chair Jax used to sit, regarding them both contemplatively, his jade eyes observant and thin lips pulled into a smile. Varian doesn’t recognize him, wonders why he hasn’t just killed them yet, and he’s about to voice his question when he hears Cassandra take a sharp inhale, almost a hiss.

His eyes snap to Cassandra in surprise, to see her tense, bright blue eyes burning furiously, lips curled. The look she gives the stranger is more than her usual death glares she throws at Varian. This is a look of hatred. And suddenly, it occurs to Varian that this cannot be a stranger to her.

She proves him right when her lips pull back into a scowl. 

“Andrew.”

“In the flesh, Cassie.”

Varian doesn’t even have time to process the fact that this man just referred to Cass as “Cassie”, for Cassandra lunges at him like a wild animal, narrowed eyes flaring like slits of blue fire, her hands poised like she’s about to strangle him.

The man - Andrew - looks nonplussed as he watches Cassandra struggle in her confines before she collapses to the floor, obviously exhausted. But the fire in her eyes is all but dimmed as she glares daggers at him, her chest heaving. 

“This is the greeting I get?” Andrew puts a hand to his chest, as if offended. “And here I thought you were looking for me.”

“Only because you know where to find Saporia,” Cass snarls. “And I was under the impression you’d be safely locked up behind bars, rotting in your cell.”

 _We have to stop at a prison near here._ Cassandra’s words echo in his mind, and Varian considers the probability that the prison they were meant to stop at used to house this Andrew character. Varian’s eyes narrow with distrust. Based on their current predicament, and the way Cass responded to seeing him, with the fact that Andrew hadn’t killed them sent Varian mixed signals. He was out of the loop again, and he didn’t like being out of the loop.

“Who knows?” Andrew shrugs, his gaze uncomfortably personal as he looks Cassandra up and down, slowly, deliberately. “Maybe if I hadn’t broken out, I’d be the one in chains right now.”

Cassandra lunges at him again, once again yanked back, and she snarls in impatience and fury. Her eyes burn brightly, daggers of hatred. “You know you would have,” she growls.

“But why?” Andrew wisely keeps away from her, his finger brushing the thin flame of one of the candles, making him appear contemplative. Inquisitive. “I heard the rumors, Cassie. I know what they call you, what you’ve done. The proof is right here in front of me, you’ve turned your back on Corona, and the princess. We want the same thing, Cassie, and we’re on the same side. You can’t possibly still hate me for trying to kill Rapunzel.”

Cass’s eyes narrow. “Maybe it’s because I don’t like you,” she quips. “Ever think of that?”

“Oh Cass. You haven’t changed,” Andrew replies calmly. “Luckily for me. I’ve always liked your spunk. As for not liking me,” he tilts his head contemplatively, and Varian feels a rush of anger sweep through his gut. He’s liking this man less and less. “Our relationship has always been one of love and hate. Never just one. Truthfully, Cassie, I’d considered taking you back with me. Dividing your loyalty so you’d turn to our side. But you figured it out quicker than I expected.”

“You misspelled bibliophile,” Cass says, rolling her eyes. “I’m not an idiot.”

Varian becomes more and more confused as this conversation continues. Clearly, he’s missed something. Andrew liking Cass’s spunk? Hate and love? Him turning Cass to his side? What the ever loving fuck is going on here? Varian, never one to keep his thoughts to himself, hears his voice ring through the air. 

“Um, yes, hello.”

Cass and Andrew’s eyes snap to him. Andrew regards him with a faint interest, while Cassandra just looks at him exasperatedly.

Varian runs an embarrassed hand through his hair, chuckling nervously at the new attention. “Heh, Varian here. Sorry to interrupt… uh… whatever’s going on here, but can someone tell me what the fuck’s going on?”

Andrew looks again to Cassandra, and she glares at him before she looks to Varian, her eyes softening just the barest amount. “Andrew and I used to date,” she admits, eyes flashing. Before Varian has a chance to counter, she quickly corrects herself. “But it was all a lie. We were using each other to get information.”

“Looks like you got over me pretty fast,” Andrew cuts in swiftly. “This one looks a little young for you, Cassie.”

“Shut up!”

“Her _name_ is Cassandra!”

Varian and Cass exchange equally startled glances, surprised that they spoke in unison. Andrew blinks in surprise as well, but his expression descends quickly back into what Varian is quickly realizing is his usual. A look of easy smugness. It irks Varian to no end.

Andrew turns to regard Varian for the first time. “So this is the alchemist,” he says. “Varian, was it?”

“Don’t talk to the kid,” Cassandra snaps at Andrew, and Varian sends her a surprised look. She’s not looking at him, however, her bright blue eyes fixed on her old flame, body straining against its confines.

Andrew ignores her, and gets up from his chair, moving to kneel at Varian’s level. “Saporia has some plans for you, kid. Just like they have plans for Cassie over there. She told you, didn’t she?”

To the right of Andrew, Varian sees Cass try to stand, her legs wobbling. Her eyes are narrowed blue slits. “I said don’t talk to him,” she growls at Andrew, and holds her hand out to him, palm out. Varian looks at her, his hope dying when surprise clouds her face for the briefest moment, and she stares at her palm.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t even bother,” Andrew says, heading over to Cassandra now, but still keeping a wide enough distance from her so she doesn’t strangle him.

“What did you do?” Cass demands, her voice soft but threatening.

Andrew puts a hand to his chest. “Oh, it was nothing _I_ did, Cassie. This is Clementine’s work. She’s a witch, you know. She has some tricks up her sleeve.”

Rarely has Varian seen Cassandra caught off guard, and the look on her face scares him. “You took her powers,” he hears himself whisper.

“Ladies and gentleman, we have a smart guy in the room,” says Andrew sarcastically, and Varian’s struck with the sudden vision of him standing with his hands around Andrew’s neck. He doesn’t entirely know the history between him and Cassandra, but Varian doesn’t want him anywhere near her.

Andrew spares Varian another amused glance before heading back to the door. He eyes them both, gaze lingering on Cassandra, and Varian bristles silently. “See you both in the morning. We have a long journey ahead of us.”

Cassandra picks up something from the floor - one of Varian’s extra shoes, he notices - and lobs it at Andrew, but before it can hit him, he ducks, and fixes Cass with an amused look. Cass merely glares at him.

“You really haven’t changed,” says Andrew. “I’m looking forward to spending more time with you, now that we’re on the same side.”

“And I’m looking forward to beating your head in,” Cassandra counters. “Preferably with something pointy.”

“Love you too, Cassie,” Andrew says before closing the door behind him.

Then there’s silence, and Varian’s left with a burning feeling in his gut, disgust and something he never thought he’d feel. Not directed at a person for this reason at least. But before he can dwell on the feeling, he sees Cass sigh, slumping over, her hair falling in her face. His heart skips a beat, worry for her overriding everything else.

“Cass?” he asks. “Cassandra, are you okay?”

Cassandra doesn’t respond, holding out her hand again. He can see the frustration on her face, the desperation in her gaze as she tries fruitlessly to use her power. The moonstone glows brightly, fighting against the barrier between it and its host, and she cries out in pain, grabbing her chest.

“Cass!”

She breathes heavily, and looks utterly defeated. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen.”

Varian shakes his head, not wanting to hear her explain anything just yet. He can see the exhaustion on her face, sees the new paleness to her complexion as her body and the moonstone fight against whatever the witch had done. “You don’t have to say anything,” says Varian quickly. “Later. Now you need to get some rest.”

Silence for a brief moment, and then, he speaks again, unable to help himself.

“You never told me about Andrew.”

“Our relationship was never important,” Cass says tiredly, her eyes glowing dimly, blazing wildfire reduced to the light of a dying candle. “I never cared about him. I hate him.” She glares at the door, and Varian feels just a little bit better. Her shoulders slump and the moonstone glows on her chest. Varian hadn’t noticed before now, but now he sees that the glow is dimmer, just barely matching the light of a firefly. That worries him. That and the obvious toll the spell is taking on Cass.

“There has to be a way to break this,” Varian says, his mind already working on a solution. “Magic doesn’t exist. This is just science. Science can fix this.”

Cass shakes her head. “No," she says softly. "Don't dwell on this, Varian. Get some sleep, and we'll figure this out in the morning." She sighs, and winces as if the action causes her pain. Then she lays down on the floor, eyes fluttering as if she’s willing them to stay open. In a matter of seconds, her eyes close, and she’s breathing deeply, the moonstone pulsing faintly on her chest. If it weren’t for the steady rise and fall of her chest, Varian would have thought she was dead.

“Cass?” he whispers. She doesn’t wake up. 

He sighs, leaning up against the wall. No matter how tired he got, he wouldn’t sleep, he thinks. He has to watch over Cassandra, to make sure she’s okay. Varian fixes his eyes on the door, waiting for someone else to come in, but they never do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure how you guys are gonna react to this chapter. Personally, I like it, but I don't know how people are gonna feel about Raps and Eugene doing the deed. Honestly, I've never been a fan of smut, as writing it makes me kinda uncomfortable (especially if it's between two cartoon characters in a family friendly show) but this is a mature fanfic, and I kinda let the characters guide me on this chapter. This is what came of it. So anyways, how do you guys feel about Andrew showing up? Let me know! And as always, thanks for reading!


	13. dreaming in the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up, guys. This is a long one. Don't exactly know if that's a good or bad thing. Huh. Okay! Enjoy!

_Varian’s eyes snap open, and he would have been surprised if he weren’t so confused. The surroundings are different. Where before there had been brown, worn wood planks, the flicker of candles, a warm glow and an almost cozy atmosphere that he and Cassandra had been gradually building, now there was none of that. The floor was cold, dirty blue tinted stone, and the ceiling was far above him, grand sloping roof and a just barely detectable blue glow not unlike that of the moonstone._

_What the hell?_

_Varian sits up, shakes his head and runs a hand through his thick hair, thoroughly confused. His eyes search the place, looking for a familiar face, but he finds none. What he finds instead only adds to his confusion. He’s sitting in the middle of a huge room adorned with statues of warriors. Black rocks like the ones Cassandra conjures stick awkwardly up from the ground, covering the floor sporadically, like a pestilence._

_Speaking of which… Starting to panic, Varian jolts to his feet._

_“Hello?” he asks tentatively, hearing his voice echo off the ceilings. His eyes sweep the room with growing panic, and he calls out again. “Cass?”_

_No answer._

_“Ruddy? Cass?!”_

_What. The. Hell._

_“Cassandra?!”_

_Varian’s breathing hard from crushing anxiety, his throat starting to become hoarse from overuse. He shakes his head._ It’s okay, Varian. You’re fine, you’re not hurt, and Cass is probably fine. Now you just have to find her _. Taking a deep breath to ward off the franticness starting to close in on him, Varian starts walking towards a door, only stopping when his ears start to pick up the faintest of sounds. He turns to the direction of the sound, realizing as he gets closer that the sound is voices._

_He starts running, but then stops._

You’re too impulsive, _Cassandra’s voice filters in his mind._ You’re not supposed to run head on into something you don’t know.

 _When she first told him that, Varian had raised an eyebrow._ Uh, huh, _he’d told her._ You’re one to talk.

 _Cass had smiled at him._ Fair enough.

_A sudden crashing sound brings Varian out of his thoughts, and panic starts to set in again, his heart skipping a beat. And like that, he forgets all that Cassandra ever taught him about approaching situations, and runs head on towards the sounds of fighting. Varian tries to push open the door, but is surprised when he falls straight through, landing directly on his face with an ungraceful ‘oomph!’_

_“Lance, you’re a genius and that’s the first and last time I’ll ever say that!”_

_Varian picks his head up at the familiar voice, eyes widening when he catches a glance of the group. “What…? Eugene?”_

_“Guys!” His head snaps to Rapunzel, and his eyes narrow despite themselves. She’s looking resplendent and annoyingly radiant as usual, bossing people around. “Cover for Lance!”_

_And then finally, he sees Cassandra._

_“Cass!” he nearly sobs in relief, rushing towards her. But she doesn’t turn around, just continues to fight… ghosts? Statues? At Rapunzel’s side.“Cassandra!” What is she doing? Why is she with Rapunzel? A pang of betrayal shoots through him unexpectedly. “Cass! Can you hear me? It’s me, it’s Varian!”_

_The moondrop doesn’t respond, dashing around lithely and expertly, wielding her sword with precision and accuracy. If Varian weren’t so hurt that she was ignoring him, that she was fighting alongside Rapunzel despite all that had happened, he would have been impressed._

_“Max! Heads up!” The woman called Adira, the one that had attacked Cassandra, cries out to the horse, who catches her sword in his mouth. Varian’s eyes widen as Maximus charges towards him, and he instinctively covers his face with his hands, bracing for impact. But all that hits him is a warm rush of air, and he’s perfectly fine, Maximus galloping past him._

_And that’s when Varian realizes - Max had gone_ through _him, as though he weren’t even there._

_“What?...” Varian’s brow furrows. He swivels around to face Cassandra again, noticing something else. She wasn’t using the moonstone to fight. In fact, there was no sign of the opal anywhere; it wasn’t burrowed into Cassandra’s chest. And her eyes. They were hazel once again._

_Varian’s eyes widen. “This is a dream,” he whispers._

_Cassandra throws a sword, and it lands, straight and true into another one of the statues. One of the blue ghosts that had been terrorizing the group roars in agony before disappearing in a flash of blue light and Cassandra sighs in what Varian recognizes as relief, and exhaustion._

_Varian watches wide eyed as Rapunzel throws Eugene the sword next and her boyfriend sprints towards the last statue. He can’t help but cry out as Eugene trips over a glowing blue axe, can’t do anything but observe quietly as Eugene scrambles away from the approaching spectre. But just as the ghost prepares to bring the axe down again, he disappears like the others, leaving Eugene unscathed._

_The burly man Varian saw outside of his cell appears atop the final statue and offers the group a surly glance. “Our family is just awful,” he deadpans, and with a satisfying crash, the head of the final statue slides off of its body, smashing into smithereens. Varian pauses for a heartbeat, eyes searching the room to find the one person he cares about in this group, his heart pounding wildly from adrenaline. Silence takes hold and for a moment no one moves._

_Varian takes advantage of the newfound time and bounds over to Cassandra. He stops in front of her, peering up at her. Her eyes, hazel, human, gaze ahead of her, not seeing him, her lips pursed. Varian waves a hand in front of her face. “Cassandra?”_

_But she looks steadily ahead, eyes determined and face set, and Varian has no choice but to turn around and see what she’s looking at._

_Lance, with all his strength, single-handedly lifts one of the fallen statues with conceivable effort, revealing… another room._

_Varian looks back to Cassandra to see that her face hasn’t changed. He furrows his brow, scratches his head and peers inside._

_The room is bathed in blue light, a cavern of sorts filled entirely with black rocks. There’s an energy there, a familiar energy, but Varian doesn’t put his finger on exactly what’s so familiar about it until he sets eyes upon the object in the middle of the cavern._

_It’s the moonstone. Encased in an elaborate cage of black rocks, hovering freely in the air, glowing bright blue and humming with that unplaceable energy that for some reason, Varian knows he should recognize. Varian glances back to Cassandra, and something in his mind clicks like a key turning in a lock._

_The energy is destructive, impulsive, dangerous. Prickly, dark, alluring and enchanting._

_It’s_ Cassandra. _The energy the moonstone projects is similar to that of Cassandra._

 _Varian’s mouth parts in surprise, and now he sees the fascination in Cassandra’s gaze, a wondrous fascination and hope. As if she_ knows.

_“It’s all up to you now,” says the surly man, casting a sorrowful glance back to Rapunzel. Cassandra, standing next to her, glances over at Rapunzel, and Varian sees a flicker of something familiar in her gaze. Anger._

_Rapunzel lifts her head. “No,” she says determinedly, and casts a worshipful, loving glance to Eugene besides her, ignoring Cassandra entirely. “It’s up to us.” And she begins to walk forward, towards the moonstone, leaving Cassandra behind._

_Brimming with sympathy for her, Varian forgets that in this world, he doesn’t exist. He tries to place a hand on Cassandra’s shoulder, only for it to go straight through. But the effort isn’t entirely useless, for Cass shivers as if struck by a sudden chill, and her hazel eyes blink before she looks confusedly around her. They don’t fall on him, but when they pass over him, they stop for just a fraction of a second, and then pass again._

_Varian’s heart skips a beat. “Cass?” he asks hesitantly, and rushes in front of her, throwing his hands out. “Cass, I’m here! Can you hear me?”_

_Cassandra shakes her head, eyes tight and determined yet again, and she kneels down, entering the large room after Rapunzel. Varian darts right in after her, not bothering to hear the conversation between Eugene and his biological father. It brings back too many memories, and Varian doesn’t have the time to dwell on the past. Right now, Cassandra needs him. Even if this Cassandra’s not real, there’s something that pulls him to follow her._

_The statue drops and silence takes hold yet again._

Well, _Varian thinks as he surveys the expressions of Rapunzel, Eugene and Cassandra._ No turning back now.

_Rapunzel, as if in a daze, steps forward, her eyes wide as she takes in the sublimity of the large cavern. “We made it, guys,” she says. But Varian’s not looking at her. He’s once again watching Cassandra, absorbed in her expressions._

_“Cass?” He reaches out to her, but she doesn’t react, eyes wide and mouth parted. Emotions flicker across her face. Awe, wonder, fascination. And just barely there, is deliverance._

_Then, suddenly, Rapunzel’s hair takes on a life of its own, glowing and sticking straight up like the light of a candle. Varian marvels at the beauty of it for a brief moment before his face settles in a scowl. She has so much already, the princess does, and now she’ll have everything, even though she doesn’t deserve it._

_In a brilliant spectacle, the black rocks begin to glow, as if activated by the glow of Rapunzel’s hair. In unison, they shift, groaning metallically, all pointing towards the center of the cavern, towards the moonstone. Something reminiscent of jealousy flashes in Cassandra’s eyes before she tempers it, and awe takes hold yet again. Varian takes a step to the side, towards her, to be near her. To offer her his support even though it’s silent._

_Undeterred and unnoticing, the princess steps forward, towards the edge of the precipice, and the unearthly blue of the rocks fade, collapsing in a kaleidoscope of light so that the only light visible is that of Rapunzel’s hair and the moonstone itself. Rapunzel’s face sets in determination, and she takes a step forwards._

_Blue light pools under the princess’s bare feet like water and hardens. A smile crosses her face, and more confident than before, Rapunzel walks towards the moonstone, her pace quickening with every step she takes. She walks steadily, her hair a glowing beacon. Eugene and Cassandra exchange a nod and soon follow close behind, leaving Varian no choice but to follow._

_The rocks harden along the way, turning a dark navy underneath the light of the moonstone. When Rapunzel reaches it, she turns around to look at Cass, her gaze fond and shy. On impulse, Varian steps in front of her protectively, only to be rendered completely useless when Rapunzel walks straight through him._

_Varian makes a high keening sound, throwing his hands up in frustration. “Ugh, are you serious?” He shakes his head, forced to watch without interacting. But that doesn’t mean he has to like it. Pretty sure he’s pouting unattractively, Varian crosses his arms over his chest, watching the two women from under half-closed eyelids._

_Cassandra looks oddly demure, her own arm crossed against her chest. Varian eyes her oddly._

_Rapunzel reaches out and takes Cassandra’s hand. Cass lets her, still smiling that strange little smile._

What are you planning, Cassandra?

_“Look,” says Rapunzel softly. “I know these last few months haven’t been easy for us. But…” she smiles radiantly, and Varian suddenly feels the need to spiritually projectile vomit all over Rapunzel’s bare feet. Rapunzel holds Cassandra’s hands, a look of pure admiration in her eyes. “I wanna thank you.”_

_Then, unannounced, the princess throws her arms around Cassandra in a deep hug. Varian watches as a look of surprise crosses Cass’s face, and then her eyes harden in determination. She doesn’t hug the princess back, but instead sighs, and in a shaky voice, she says, “Okay Rapunzel. It’s time.”_

_Rapunzel lets go, smiles again at Cassandra, and turns around, again walking purposefully to where the moonstone waits. She pauses, shares some heartfelt words with Eugene, and starts back on her path. And behind her, Cassandra begins to move, a silent shadow under Rapunzel’s radiant light._

_“Cass?” Varian’s brow furrows in confusion. “What are you…?” He shakes his head and races after her, trying to keep up with the warrior’s long stride. Varian glances at her only to see that her face is unreadable. It frightens him. Usually he has no trouble gauging her emotions._

_But the moonstone’s reacting again, releasing itself from its prison and rising, settling itself in perfect grabbing distance. Varian doesn’t see Rapunzel’s face, but he does see Cassandra’s, and in that instant, he knows what she’s about to do._

_In that same instant, Varian understands everything. This is no dream._

_This is the_ past _._

_He watches with bated breath as Rapunzel reaches for the moonstone, and at the last second, Cassandra’s hand snaps out, and she swipes it right out from under Rapunzel’s nose._

_The light dies. Rapunzel’s hair falls, once again just hair._

_“Cassandra?” she calls out, confusion evident in her voice. “What are you doing?”_

_Cass’s features twist in a scowl, as if in pain, and she looks at Rapunzel with the utmost hatred. “I’m fulfilling,” she struggles with the words._ “My _destiny.”_

_Undeterred by what appears to be pain, Cassandra clenches the moonstone tightly in her fist, releasing a jet of bright blue lightning that throws Rapunzel and Eugene back. Varian watches wide eyed, unaffected by the blast, as Cassandra holds the moonstone high above her head, her features contorted. She stands alone, ultimate power in her hands. Power that Varian has always associated with her and her alone._

_And then, Cassandra thrusts the moonstone into her chest._

_Instantaneously, a flash of bright blue light surges through her body, brightening the room. As if shifting allegiance, or as if they had belonged to Cassandra all along, the rocks respond to her, arching up to her. Black skirts along her body, encasing her in dark rocks - Cassandra’s current uniform. And with a final cry from Cass, her hair turns from black to fluorescent blue._

_The light fades. Silence takes hold. Cass’s eyes open and when they do, they’re glowing fluorescent blue, the color Varian had become used to these past few months. She sneers. Laughs wickedly. Varian steps back, shocked by the look on her face._

_“I tried to warn you, Rapunzel,” says Cassandra. “You have to be careful who you trust.”_

_Silence again. Only the sound of Rapunzel and Eugene’s heavy breathing fill the cavern. Cassandra’s hair is already turning back, her natural black spreading from the roots down to the tips. But her eyes remain and they’re furious, glowing brighter than Varian had ever seen them._

_Rapunzel sobs. She only says one thing, and it comes out in a whisper._

_“Why?”_

_Varian watches Eugene wrap his arms around Rapunzel, his eyes regarding Cassandra warily. His eyes snap back to Cass, absorbing her every expression. Anger, hatred._

_“Why?” Cass repeats in a snarl._ “Why? _You of all people should know_ why, _Rapunzel. I’m tired of following your orders. Tired of standing in your shadow. I’m tired. Tired of listening to you condescend while you call me your friend.”_

 _Rapunzel reaches out to her, stepping forwards tentatively. “We_ are _friends, Cassandra-”_

 _Cassandra’s electric blue eyes flash. She laughs once, derisively. “Friends?” she repeats. “Really? Let me tell you something, Rapunzel. Friends are equals. Friends take each other’s advice._ Friends _don’t steal their friend’s mothers from them.”_

_Varian doesn’t know what that means, but judging by Rapunzel’s expression, the princess does. “Cassandra…” she says, voice a surprised whisper._

_Cassandra thrusts out a hand and a black rock shoots from the ground, sending Rapunzel flying through the air in a flurry of golden hair._

_Then she starts to run._

_“Rapunzel!” Eugene cries, running to his beloved, and Pascal chitters furiously at Cassandra, trying to catch her leg as she runs past. Cassandra shakes him off with a disgusted look and keeps running. Varian takes off after her._

_Rapunzel forces herself out of Eugene’s embrace. “Cassandra, wait!” No reply. Cass just keeps running. Then Rapunzel cries, “Cass!” and Cass stops in her tracks. She turns around._

_Rapunzel starts walking towards her. “We can talk about this,” she says. “Just tell me what’s going on. Please… wait.”_

_Lightning crackles around the moonstone on Cassandra’s chest. “Wait?” her eyes flicker dangerously. “No. I don’t think so.”_

_And she takes off, throwing a shield of black rocks up between her and Rapunzel._

_“Cassandra!”_

Varian’s eyes snap open with a gasp, Rapunzel’s pain-filled voice echoing through his head. He sits up in his spot, quickly realizing that he’s back in the caravan. With fresh eyes, he looks over at Cassandra to see her awake, sitting up and breathing heavily. That was rare. It’s been three days and most of the time Cass sleeps, exhausted by the cuffs barring her from her power.

Varian’s voice comes out strained. “Cass?”

She doesn’t reply.

He tries again, shuffling as close to her as he can. “Cassandra?”

Cass is determinedly not looking at him, her eyes dull as she stares out the window. Frowning, Varian grows worried. She’s been deteriorating more and more the longer she goes separated from the opal, and she looks ashen and pale in the moonlight, her cheekbones more pronounced, bags under her eyes and a defeated, almost lost look in her eyes. One reminiscent of a shell-shocked soldier.

A far cry from the powerful, terrifying woman from his dream.

He shudders, and angrily pushes the image to the back of his mind. He has no need to be scared of her. She was hurting then and she’s hurting now. Now she needs him.

Taking a breath, Varian reaches a hand out to her, trying to get her to talk to him. “Cassie?” he whispers, his fingers brushing her shoulder. She flinches at his touch, shuddering away and retreating into herself. He quickly retracts his hand, reluctantly used to this by now.

She had just been getting comfortable with him, allowing him to touch her. Varian was an affectionate person, more often than not expressing himself through touching. He’d been slowly getting her used to it, hugging her, squeezing her shoulder and resting his head on her when he got tired or when he thought she could use a friend, and though at first Cass reacted to him with one of her seething glares, those had been slowly becoming less and less commonplace.

Now though, his progress was halted. Andrew had seen to that.

He tortured her. Not in the typical sense; he soon realized that under her cloak, Cass’s armor was made of the same material as the black rocks she conjured; but mentally, emotionally. Varian soon began to dread the time Andrew spent in their little prison room, for even though the Saporian claims to admire Cassandra, he tears her down relentlessly, reminding her of her failures, of Rapunzel, of her propensity to end up alone. He feeds on Cassandra’s insecurities, strengthening them while Cass remains weakened by the spell.

Varian screams at him, ordering Andrew to leave her alone. He calls the Saporian names that his father would have smacked him if he’d heard, and lobs anything he can find at Andrew, simmering with hatred he had never felt before. Varian used to think that he could never hate anyone as much as he hated Rapunzel, but he was wrong. So very wrong. The hatred he feels for the Saporian is deeper, swirling inside of him like a storm, threatening to bowl over and take away any higher reasoning.

He worries for Cassandra, tries fruitlessly to get Cassandra to talk to him, to look at him even, but Andrew had taken her away from him, leaving almost nothing behind. Cassandra almost doesn’t even realize he’s there, her eyes blank. She’d been defiant at the beginning, but Varian knew that Cassandra’s insecurities affected her more than she let on. She has so many of them, and Andrew takes advantage of each and every one.

But there was a reasoning behind it. For some reason, after every impromptu torture session, Andrew would give Cass an ultimatum. If she could successfully use the moonstone’s power, he would let her and Varian go. And Cassandra, weak as she was, would never answer.

“Cass, please,” Varian whispers. “Please talk to me. I’d never hurt you, you know that.” 

He reaches for her again, but she shrinks away. Varian sighs, resting his head against the wall. The dream he had came to mind again, the way Cass had reacted to Rapunzel. As if she’d felt like she was lesser, even though in Varian’s mind she was anything but. He wonders how much of that dream was real, and how he had seen it. He wonders when Andrew would come back, and that hatred, that rage, boils in him.

“Andrew’s wrong,” says Varian, voice full of conviction. He looks forwards, towards the door, glaring daggers at it. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Cassandra stiffen, and something flickers to life inside of him. Prompted to continue, Varian says, “I hate him. He’s an arrogant shit-head and he doesn’t know anything about you.”

Now Cassandra turns to look at him. Her eyes meet his, but she doesn’t speak, as if waiting for him to continue. And Varian, never one to back away from a conversation, says, “He’s gonna get whatever’s coming to him for talking to you like that. If he really appreciated you he’d be building you up.”

Cassandra stares at him.

Varian braces himself, suddenly feeling like that insecure teenager again, trying to get Cassandra; beautiful, determined, strong-willed Cassandra; to notice him, to see something special in him. He flushes despite himself, then shakes his head to ward off that feeling. 

“But he’s obviously not gonna do that, so I will.” He takes a deep breath and looks at her. “Cassandra. You are the strongest person I know. You’re hard in your convictions, protective of the ones you love, and fiercely loyal. You work tirelessly to get where you want, to get what you want and even though it sometimes doesn’t work, you never stop.”

She blinks, startled. Her mouth parts.

Varian’s eyes narrow. “And even though that shit-head tells you otherwise, you will never be alone. Because you have me. I won’t ever-”

“Varian.” Cassandra speaks for the first time in days, her voice a whisper. She shakes her head. “Stop. Please.”

Varian frowns. “Did I do something wrong?”

Cass goes silent. She appears to ponder the question for a little while, staring down at her hands. And just when Varian thinks she’s done talking, she answers him. “No,” she says, looking at him from underneath her lashes.

He tilts his head, confused. “Then why?”

Cassandra shakes her head again, still silent, her dull eyes almost contemplative. Varian almost expects her to say something else, but she doesn’t. She just lays down, heaves an exhausted sigh, and goes back to sleep.

~

Cass tosses and turns in her sleep. Originally, Varian thought that the moonstone was causing her pain, and though that may be true, it’s not all that haunts her. Her dreams are troubled. She screams in her sleep, sometimes wordless. But other times, she calls out for those who had loved her. Her dad, sometimes Rapunzel. Varian couldn’t be sure, but one time, he thought he heard her call out for her mother.

It pains him to hear her. At times like this, Varian wants nothing more than to wake her, but he refrains, knowing that she’d only shudder away from his touch.

“Dad,” Cassandra whispers, her eyes darting frantically beneath her eyelids. “Dad.”

Varian wonders what the captain is doing. Is he searching for them? Trying to find his daughter? Is he plotting their demise? Putting Corona above all else? Varian doesn’t know if he could do that if he were in the same position. Not only because he and Corona have a tense relationship, but because he’s always put the welfare of those he loves before duty. Maybe that’s why he’s failed so many times. His emotions get the best of him.

Varian also wonders about other things. If his dream had been true (he cringes at that, not liking the idea of anything that can’t be explained by scientific facts) then Cassandra knows who her mother had been. Not only that, but Rapunzel knows as well. Had they both known her? Varian doesn’t know much about Rapunzel’s past, and knows even less about Cassandra’s, but from what Cass told him, her mother abandoned her at a young age. Her memories of that time would be blurred at best, nonexistent at worst. He wonders how she could remember.

The sound of clothes rustling pulls him from his thoughts, movement out of the corner of his eye prompting him to look at Cassandra, who stirs. She sits up. Glances at him. Sees his watching her and sighs, looking away. There’s a window near where Cassandra’s imprisoned, and Varian’s taken to noticing that she almost always looks out of it.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Cass shakes her head. “I know you’re not the one who did this to me and I’ve been treating you like you were.”

Varian thinks before he speaks next. He wants to tell her that it’s alright, that he understands, but he simply can’t do that. How many times has she regarded him coldly, even when he was only trying to help?  He sighs, wringing his hands, not looking at her. To his left, Ruddiger sidles up to him, regarding him sadly. “I thought we trusted each other, Cassandra.”

He wants to take everything back when he sees Cassandra flinch. “I know,” she says. “It’s not fair to you.”

Varian pauses again. What does she want him to say? That he understands? That he forgives her for disregarding him when he basically bore his soul for her? They had become friends these past few months, he relied on her, was there for her. And he knows Cassandra has a lot to learn about trust, but he thought that she’d trusted him.

Varian wraps his arms around himself. “Did you even trust me at all?”

Cassandra glances at him, eyes surprised. “I trusted you to not kill me in my sleep,” she answers vaguely. “I know you’re pretty handy with those chemicals.”

Varian shakes his head. “That’s not what I mean and you know it.” The young alchemist stares at her pointedly. “You’re evading again.”

He sees Cassandra flush, uncomfortable from being called out. But it’s Cassandra, and she reacts the way she always does: with snark. “You’re not making this easy for me,” she snaps. “I’m trying to apologize, kid, what more do you want? You want me to get on my knees? Beg? Cry?”

Varian sighs. “I just want you to answer the question,” he says. “Did you or did you not trust me?”

Multiple emotions flicker in Cassandra’s eyes. Anger, outrage, fear, discomfort. Finally, she looks away, face shut like iron doors. “Yes,” she says tersely, and resolutely turns away from him. Varian allows her a few moments of silence before another question begins resonating in his head, begging to be heard.

“...Do you trust me now?”

Cassandra makes a face. “Why wouldn’t I?” she asks. “It’s not like you were the one who-”

“Do you trust me?” Varian repeats. “Yes or no?”

Cassandra narrows her eyes. “Yes.”

Varian nods, relieved by her answer. He doesn’t know what he would have done if she said no. All those weeks putting blind faith in her would have been colored in a different light. Trust is everything. Especially to one who’s been betrayed so many times. He doesn’t have to look over at Cass to know she’s still looking at him. But he never expected her to speak again.

“...Do you trust me?” Cassandra asks, breaking the tense silence.

“Yes,” Varian says without hesitation, and glances over at her to see her looking oddly vulnerable, eyes wide. It makes her look small, which softens him more than it should. “I trust you with my life. If anyone can get us out of this, it’s you.”

Cassandra’s mouth parts in surprise. She laughs once, a delirious sound that has no place in the prison room. “Honestly kid? I think it’ll be you who gets us outta this one.”

“What on Earth makes you think that?”

Cassandra shrugs, a strange smile on her face. “I dunno,” she says. “Guess I’ll just have to trust you.”

~

_Varian’s in a different place now._

_It’s a strange place; orange-pinkish walls that appear to be made of jasper or some other mineral, and a ton of random doors that trigger Varian’s curiosity. However, the most noticeable thing was by far the proportions of the place. The round windows and the slanted doors are starting to make Varian slightly nauseous._

_“Raps?”_

_Varian frowns at the familiar voice. “Hello?”_

_“Rapunzel? Where’d you go?” From behind the winding hallways, Cassandra appears, her gaze searching, lips pursed._

_Varian tilts his head. “Cassandra-?” He shakes his head, suddenly remembering something important. This had happened once before. He was dreaming in the past again._

_“Aw come on!” Varian throws his hands up. “Again, really?”_

Cassandra…

_Varian whips around at the strange voice, coming face to face with a wooden door. Unlike the shell-shaped ones that this weird place seems to have an abundance of, this one is normally shaped, made of worn looking wood and lined in steel. He frowns at it, feeling a strange… something... emanating from it._

Cassandra...

_“Ah! Oh my gosh!” Varian cries out with shock when a gloved hand impales his chest, grabbing the knob of the door and pulling it open. Before she can make her way through, Varian hops into the room. “Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh, that was weird,” he gasps, shuddering. “That was so weird.”_

_“Rapunzel is that you?”_

_Varian looks up just in time to see Cass narrow her eyes, blinded by the sudden light. Then it fades, and they’re left in night. Before, in that strange wherever place he had just seen, the air was strange, almost glowing, but here, darkness reigns supreme. It unnerves Varian just a bit._

_Varian finds himself looking around with Cassandra, feeling a sense of familiarity. They were in the woods again._

_Wait a second._

_Varian’s eyes snap back to Cass. “Whoa, this is wrong. We are_ not _outside. This is a room inside of a house. Should totally not feel like the woods. Okay,” he strides towards Cassandra. “Time to go.” She doesn’t respond. Varian rolls his eyes. “Damn it, I forgot this was the past.”_

_“Cassandra!”_

_Varian whips around again. His eyes sweep the surrounding area and he frowns when he doesn’t see anything. Then he looks down and his eyes widen. Frantically, he looks back to Cassandra to see a similar expression on her face. Surprise flashes in her eyes, which morphs into suspicion, which then becomes confusion._

_The root of these conflicting emotions comes in the form of a small girl, not half Varian’s height. She wears a simple green peasant dress, and her black hair flows freely down her shoulders, a cascade of dark curls. Her face is round, cherubic, her features just matured out of babyhood. If that had been all to this child, Varian would have dismissed her, but as per usual, nothing is as it seems._

_Her eyes are familiar, too familiar to be anything less than uncanny. They’re rounded, almost too big for the little girl’s head, and they shine with a child-like wonder that Varian hasn’t seen or experienced in a long while. But the truly disturbing part was the color. The girl’s eyes are a distinct shade of hazel, almost gray green, a shade Varian has only seen on one other person._

_“Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for sooooo long,” the child says, and Cassandra gapes._

_This time Varian speaks his thoughts aloud. “What the_ hell?”

_Cassandra approaches the little girl slowly, cautiously, and kneels to her level. Varian, standing close behind them, feels his head start to hurt watching the two of them, two black heads bent over, two pairs of hazel eyes regarding each other._

_“How… how is this possible?” The older Cassandra asks, reaching out a trembling hand as if to touch her, to make sure she was real. “You’re…”_

_“You!” little Cass chirps. “I’m you, see?” She gives a little twirl to demonstrate, grinning playfully at her counterpart._

_“Uh huh,” says Cass Original, still looking dumbfounded. Varian can’t say he blames her._

_Wasting no time, Cass Junior takes Cassandra’s hand, pulling her to get her to follow. “Come on,” she says, giggling._

_Cass Original flinches, regarding her counterpart with confusion. She doesn’t move, though Cass Junior tries with all her might to get her to go with her. Varian frowns at her, turning his gaze to adult Cassandra. Cass Original makes a face that mirrors Varian’s own caution. “Where are we going?”_

_Little Cass frowns. “You ask a lot of questions,” she says, still pulling on Cass’s hand. “It’s okay. We’re going back.”_

_Cass Original raises an eyebrow. “Back?”_

_Little Cass nods enthusiastically. “Mhm,” she confirms. “Back. Back to the beginning.”_

_“The beginning of what?”_

_“You,” Cass Junior answers. Cassandra Original frowns, but she reluctantly allows the younger version of her to pull her along. Varian frowns, not at all liking this situation, but he trails behind them, keeping vigilant watch over both Cassandras._

_“So…” Cassandra Original says, eyes on her young counterpart. “Care to tell me how you even exist?”_

_Young Cassandra blows a raspberry, and Varian quickly realizes that she’s laughing. Cass Original just looks at her quizzically. “I dunno how I exist,” the child says, giggling. And then her eyes widen with wonder. “Do you know why_ you _exist?” she asks seriously._

_Cassandra blinks. “Do I know why…What? No. Just…” she shakes her head. “Forget it.”_

_“Okay!”_

_Varian watches Cassandra give the young girl an odd look. He sees some of the suspicion that had before been in her eyes lessen, and Varian understands. The kid was acting just like that… a kid. But seeing a_ double _of Cassandra unnerved him. This has to be a trick._

_Young Cassandra tugs on her counterpart’s wrist and Cass looks questioningly down at her. Young Cassandra answers by extending her hand through the trees._

_Both Varian and Cass turn to look where she’s pointing. He looks upon the weathered old cottage with confusion, but Cass steps forwards, her brow furrowed._

_“Cass?”_

_As always, she doesn’t hear him. She narrows her eyes thoughtfully, ponderingly. “Where have I seen this place before?”_

_“A looooong time ago,” says mini Cass sagely, nodding. She tugs on Cassandra’s sleeve again, prompting her older self to look at her. “Come on. I gotta show you something.”_

_Cassandra grimaces. She looks around almost nervously, holding herself protectively. Little Cass pouts at her hesitation and tugs on Cassandra’s sleeve again._

_“Come on,” she says again._

_Cassandra hesitantly follows the little girl down into the small grove, and Varian sticks close to her side, brimming with distrust. When they get close enough to the cottage that Varian can see into the lit windows, mini Cassandra stops Cass Original with a hand. Cass looks at her curiously, and little Cass shakes her head._

_“You can’t go inside yet,” she says._

_“Why?”_

_“Because,” says mini Cass, letting go of Cassandra’s hand. She looks back just as she’s about to enter the house, large hazel eyes baleful. “Watch,” she says, and slips into the house, leaving the door open behind her. Varian and Cass stand awkwardly in the doorway, Cass’s eyes scanning the room, taking it all in. Varian narrows his eyes, his eyes on Cassandra Junior._

_“Mommy?” the child calls. “Mommy, I’m hooome.”_

_“Where have you been, Cassandra? You know you’re not supposed to stay out past dark.”_

_Little Cass shifts her feet, looking embarrassed. “Sorry, Mommy,” she says._

_The woman who had spoken before steps into the light, revealing… someone Varian had seen before. Or at least in pictures. The woman wears a red velvet dress that compliments her svelte physique and she walks almost with a saunter. She wears a navy cloak that only highlights the gray of her long spiraling curls, and her face…_

_Let’s just say Varian can see the resemblance._

_Judging by Cassandra’s sharp inhale, she knows exactly who this woman is. Maybe she, like Varian, had seen her in Rapunzel’s paintings. Varian bites his lip, still suspicious of the kid’s motives. Why show Cassandra this? Does she think it’ll make Cass feel better, knowing her mother abandoned her for a baby with magical golden hair?_

_The woman kneels besides her daughter and pats her on the head. “Quite alright, dear,” she croons. “Come. I’ve made soup for dinner.”_

_“Yay!” Young Cass cries. “Italian Wedding?”_

_“Of course,” says Mother Gothel, arching a perfectly sculpted eyebrow._

_“And lemonade?”_

_Gothel smiles just slightly, but Varian sees the strain in it, and no, it’s not just because of the wrinkles. “And lemonade,” she says, and young Cass does a little happy dance. She casts a glance over to Cassandra (and Varian, though she doesn’t know that)._

_Gothel follows her gaze, allowing Varian a good view of her eyes. Uncannily, they’re the exact shade Cassandra’s had been before she’d stolen the moonstone. He shudders. “What are you looking at over there, Cassandra?”_

_“She can’t see me?” Cass asks, and young Cass gives a slight nod. Cassandra groans._

_Varian says, “Now you know how I feel,” rolling his eyes when Cass, as usual, gives no response. “Proved my point exactly,” he mutters._

_“This is getting boring,” young Cass pipes up, and her mother stares quizzically at her. Then her face morphs into anger._

_“Cassandra-!”_

_Young Cassandra waves her hand, almost nonchalantly, and Mother Gothel freezes before Varian and Cass’s very eyes, forever static. If it weren’t for the seriousness of the strange situation, Varian would have laughed at the expression on Gothel’s face. The miniature version of Cass_ does _laugh at the expression on Gothel’s face, holding her hands to her mouth while she giggles._

_Cassandra enters the house slowly, cautiously, her eyes fixed upon the frozen form of her mother. “Ah, Cass? I wouldn’t...” Varian starts, then rolls his eyes. “Oh forget it.”_

_Cass nods, as if in a dream (ha!). “I…” she reaches out her hand as if to touch Gothel’s face. “I remember her.” She looks down at her small self, who grins happily. “The memories… they’re coming back slowly, but they’re there.”_

_Varian was about to pipe up and one sidedly yell at Cassandra about his theories about false memories, but he’s just as freaked out by the resemblance between Gothel and Cass as Cassandra herself was. It’s uncanny. He keeps silent, brow furrowed, mind turning over the new information in his head. If Cassandra’s mother was Mother Gothel, then…_

_“Great!” Young Cassandra says, and holds out a hand to Cassandra Original. “You ready for the next one?”_

_Cass frowns. “The next one?”_

_Young Cassandra nods sadly. “This one’s not as fun,” she says. “More sad.” She holds out her hand again, palm up, and looks at Cassandra hopefully. Cassandra takes one look at frozen Gothel, then turns back to her counterpart._

_“Okay,” she says, and grabs her hand._

_A magnificent flash of light nearly blinds Varian, and just as soon as it started, it faded away, leaving him on the ground. He shakes his head, frowning, and then he spots the Cassandras._

_This time they’re in the house. It’s still dark outside, but Gothel is nowhere to be seen. Varian can tell time has passed by the small changes. There’s no longer a fire burning, or a smoking cauldron underneath. There are things strewn all around, as if someone had thrown them in a serious freak out. Varian shudders at the thought that Cassandra could have spent four years of her young life here with this woman._

_Cassandra looks around. “Where’s my…” she shakes her head, eyes turned to steel. “Where’s Gothel?”_

_Young Cass looks up at her. “It’s okay, Cassie, you don’t have to call her that. She’s your mommy.”_

_Cassandra makes a face, but Varian thinks it has to do more with the fact that young Cass just called her ‘Cassie’ than anything else. She sighs. “Fine. Where’s my mother?”_

_Young Cass pulls her towards the window. “Coming,” she says, and sets herself down on the windowsill, eyes locked on the outside. Cassandra follows her, and Varian close behind her, standing next to Cass as she narrows her eyes, trying to see._

_Varian had expected the child to jump up when she caught eyes on her mother. Maybe do a little happy dance. But young Cassandra does none of those things. Her cherubic little face scrunches up when a small flicker of a flame in the distance catches Varian’s eye, she turns a baleful look to Cassandra and tugs on her sleeve._

_“What?” Cassandra asks._

_Young Cassandra simply points out the window, and Cass frowns. She turns back towards her young counterpart to see her eyes brimming with tears. She sobs. “I’m sorry,” she says. “This is the bad thing.”_

_Cass shakes her head, kneeling down to the child’s level, looking uncertain on what to do. If it had been under any other circumstances, Varian would laughed to himself as he watched Cass squirm as she always does when things get personal. She shifts awkwardly, scratches the back of her head and looks determinedly away from the crying child. There’s also the fact that the child who’s crying is a young Cassandra. That must be weird, Varian thinks. Seeing yourself cry._

_Eventually, she places a tentative hand on the child’s shoulder. “Hey, uh, you don’t have to watch, okay?”_

_Young Cassandra dries her tears and shakes her head. “Have to be here,” she says._

_“What? Why? You know what, no. You don’t have to be here. Go hide in the bathroom, or something-”_

_Something flickers in the child’s eyes. From the looks of it, Cassandra didn’t catch it. But Varian did. “No,” she says._ “Have _to stay.”_

_With that, the child walks towards the front door, standing up on her tip-toes to reach the handle. She swings the door open, and Varian turns to adult Cassandra to see her frown before she follows. Varian surveys the child with suspicion and goes to stand with Cassandra._

_They stare at the dark figure just beyond the bridge. Though only her face is rendered visible by the glow of the torch she carries, Varian can make out her svelte figure, the blue cloak she’s wearing, the gray of her hair… and he can hear the screams of the baby wrapped in brown bundle in her arms. Varian looks closer still and catches a glimpse of a loose golden lock, glowing in the night, before Gothel moves quickly to the side, hiding behind a rock. He takes a sharp inhale, hearing Cassandra do the same._

_His heart breaks for her. She’d known who Mother Gothel had been, what she had done to Rapunzel, but seeing it was a whole different matter. And now that she knows who_ she _had been before her life as the daughter of the head guard. Knowing that her mother had abandoned her, made her an orphan, all for the sake of continuing her unnatural life. Varian looks over at Cassandra to see her flinch. She knows what’s going to happen; perhaps she was remembering it, perhaps she’d inferred it from what Rapunzel told her; but she does know._

_Thoughtlessly, Varian tries to place a hand on her shoulder, not remembering that he can’t touch her here. But he swears he feels something when his hand passes through her body this time. And Cassandra flinches again, this time with surprise. Her eyes dart towards him, looking at him but not seeing him. His heart jolts with excitement._

_But just as he’s about to try and talk to her, the sound of galloping hooves and loud angry yells alert them to another development. Young Cassandra peers around the doorway, trembling, while Cass narrows her eyes, her mind working._

_“She went this way.” Varian sees one of the men - his eyes widen when he realizes they’re Corona Guards - angrily making gestures, ordering the men to check every inch of the property. “Hey!” One of the guards catches a glimpse of little Cassandra in the doorway. She gives a little squeak before dashing into the room. Cassandra does the same, moving out of the guards’ way, but Varian knows better._

_Three guards bash through the door, weapons ablaze. He shivers as they ram through him, the rush of warm air quicker this time. The image of men running through him also puts him a little off his stomach. “Ugh, on second thought… maybe I should have ran with Cassa-”_

_“Where’s the princess?” The head guard’s head whips around before his gaze falls on the child cowering behind the living room couch. He blinks in confusion, turning to his other guards. “It’s a kid,” he says. “What’s a kid doing out here all alone?”_

_One of the other guards, Cassandra’s father, shakes his head. “I have no idea,” he says, and then quieter, “But we scared her half to death.”_

_Varian hears Cassandra give a quiet gasp as she sets her eyes on her dad. But before he has a chance to go to her, his eyes snap back to the scene taking place before him._

_A dark head pokes out of the couch. When she sets her wide eyes on the guards, she squeaks, quickly going back into hiding. Eyes concerned, Cassandra’s dad starts calmly and quietly towards the couch. He doesn’t peer his head in, just squats near the child’s hiding place._

_“Hey,” he says softly. “It’s okay, you know. We’re not gonna hurt you.”_

_The child pokes her head out again, regarding him with wide eyes. Once Cassandra’s dad sees that she’s listening, he looks at her and smartly drops his weapon on the floor with a clatter. Young Cassandra watches it fall, and turns her gaze back to the guard. He smiles at her. She looks back._

_“See?” he says. “No weapons. I just need to talk to you for a little, okay? How does that sound?”_

_Now that the future captain is weaponless, little Cassandra steps out and regards him for a moment. Just as Varian thinks she’s about to go to him, her eyes flick once again to the door. Pushing past the guard, she pads over to the wooden door, leaving the three guards to look at each other quizzically._

_Little Cassandra furrows her brow, tilting her head in confusion. Varian follows her to the door to see what she’s looking at, his heart breaking when he once again catches a glimpse of Gothel, out in the open once more. For a moment, mother and daughter stare at each other, one in firm determination, the other in growing confusion and panic._

_Little Cassandra steps outside, towards her mother, and reaches out to her. “Mommy?”_

_Varian looks back to the real Cassandra to see her eyes wide, filling with tears. In two long strides she’s at the door besides Varian, looking out at Mother Gothel. Varian goes to comfort her, but it’s fruitless. She shakes her head, looking more broken than he had ever seen her, and folds her arms protectively around herself. But she doesn’t look away._

_“Hey, there she is, get her!” One of the guards from inside the house bounds towards the door, followed by another guard - not Cassandra’s father, Varian notices. They sprint towards Gothel and the baby princess._

_“Mommy?”_

_Gothel meets young Cassandra’s gaze, slides a dagger into her hands and forcefully cuts the bridge between her and the house, between her and Cassandra, sprinting in the opposite direction. Young Cassandra looks after her, tears welling in her eyes. Simultaneously, she and adult Cassandra sink to the ground, and Varian sprints to her._

_“Hey.” Cassandra’s dad kneels besides the weeping child, hesitantly wiping a tear from her eye. “Are you okay? Was that your mom?”_

_The child hesitates for a moment, but she bursts into tears the next, nodding. Besides Varian, tears flow freely down Cassandra’s face as she watches the scene unfold before her. But Varian can’t tell if it’s because of the loss of her mother or that of her adopted father._

_The captain pulls her into a hug and she sobs against him. “It’s okay,” he says, stroking her hair. “Everything’s gonna be alright now. I’m gonna take you away from here.”_

_Young Cassandra shakes her head, still sobbing as he lifts her into his arms. “I want my mommy!”_

_A flash of light interrupts the scene, leaving Cass and Varian alone in the house. Cassandra sinks to the floor, crying. Varian’s heart breaks for her. He’d never seen her cry. Didn’t think she ever did. He kneels besides her, ready to comfort her, when the door opens and the child pokes her head in. Cassandra holds her arms out to the girl, who goes into them readily, remnants of tears on her face._

_They stay like that for a little while, Cass clinging to the child like her life depends on it, her face buried into the child’s hair. Then finally, young Cassandra pulls away, sniffling._

_“That was the bad thing,” she says._

_Cass snorts derisively, wiping a tear from her face. “Yeah, gathered as much.” She sniffs. “Damn… I mean, dang, that was not what I was expecting.”_

_“I’m sorry,” the child says, kneeling besides Cassandra._

_“It’s not your fault,” Cass says._

_“No,” the child says. “It’s Rapunzel’s.”_

_Cass looks at her. “What?”_

_“Your mommy chose her over you,” says the child, and Varian narrows his eyes._

_Cass shakes her head. “Our mother,” she corrects. The child ignores her. “And Rapunzel didn’t do anything wrong, she was just…”_

_“A baby?” says the child. “So were you.”_

_Cass narrows her eyes. “Who are you?”_

_“I’m you,” says little Cassandra. “I represent your deepest desires, and I have memories that you’ve suppressed. Until now, that is. You’ve been feeling different towards Rapunzel, haven’t you? She outshines you, condescends, doesn’t listen to your advice.”_

_Cass blinks. “How did you-?”_

_“I told you,” says the child, looking at Cass with a strange wisdom in those round child-like eyes. “I’m you.”_

_“Impossible,” Varian says, and turns to Cassandra. “Cass, you have to wake up. This is crazy! You don’t actually believe-”_

_Cassandra shakes her head, as if warding him off. Then she looks at the child oddly. “Okay,” she says. “You’re right.”_

_“But it doesn’t have to be that way,” says the child, walking towards Cass. Varian steps in between them, but she goes right through him. Geez, he hates that. “You’re on a quest, aren’t you? To find the moonstone.”_

_Cassandra nods. “Yeah, but what does that have to do with-”_

_“It belongs to you.”_

_“But Adira said-”_

_“She’s wrong,” says the child. “The prophecy doesn’t talk about one person as the vessel. It speaks of two; two people, complete opposites, one light and one…” Cass raises an eyebrow. “Slightly less light.” She rolls her eyes. “It is your destiny.”_

_Varian shakes his head. “Cassandra, listen to me. This is-”_

_“And then what?” Cass asks. “After I get ahold of the moonstone, then what do I do?”_

_“The powers are entwined,” the child replies. “Rapunzel made sure of that when she touched the black rocks. She can destroy, and so can you once you get ahold of the moonstone. And you…”_

_“Can heal,” Cassandra finishes. “But what would I need to-”_

_But she doesn’t have a chance to continue, for in a bold, spontaneous move, Varian makes it to her in two strides and grabs hold of her shoulders. He was half expecting it to not work, for his hands to go directly through her again, but he feels solid flesh beneath his gloves, and suddenly, Cassandra’s hazel eyes meet his. Looking at him and seeing him._

_“Cass, you have to wake up. Don’t listen to… whatever this is!”_

_She furrows her eyebrows. “Varian? What the hell are you doing he-?”_

_Something changes. Varian feels it in the air, and it chills him to the bone. It’s as if someone had taken all the oxygen out of the place and filled it with freezing cold nitrogen. His breath comes out solid, goosebumps rising on his arms. And the energy, he swears he’s felt it before…_

_Slowly, Varian turns around to see the child standing behind him, her tiny hand raised and her eyes glowing a toxic, electric green. Her lips curl into a scowl, pure green eyes narrowing. Varian takes a step back._

_“You’re not supposed to be here,” she says in a voice like death. And snaps her fingers._

_~_

Varian’s eyes open, a scream ripping from his throat. From across the room, Cassandra stares at him, her eyes liquid blue fire. They narrow.

“How the hell did you get into my dream?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I stole a lot from the show :/ but I was gonna do something like that anyways. Sorry for the lack of songs, but I kinda feel like putting a song in this fic will ruin the vibe a little bit. Also, I put mini Cass in the place of everyone's favorite gremlin. Because not only do I feel like she doesn't really fit into this story, but I hate her just as much as you guys (Even though I love her voice actress, Jenny Veal and her youtube channel. Never fails to make me smile). But anyways, thanks for reading as always, and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> PS) Based on the most recent episodes, I feel like Cassandra's redemption arc, if she even has one, will be really rushed. Ugh.  
> PPS) If any of you ever feel like talking Tangled or anything else with me, my tumblr's @bode-lockes :) You don't have to, I'm kind of a lot, but if you ever feel like it, shoot me a message!


	14. the greatest queen to ever live

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changing Varian’s age to sixteen almost seventeen. 😎

Varian stares at Cassandra, not saying anything. Frustrated, she crosses her arms and regards him with evident anger growing in her fluorescent eyes.

“Varian. How the _hell_ did you get into my dream?”

Varian quickly shakes his head, still shaking with fear, the child’s voice still ringing in his head. This is impossible, this cannot be real. Magic isn’t real! But…

_You’re not supposed to be here._

Varian shudders.

“Varian,” Cassandra says sternly. “I think this is the longest time you’ve gone without talking. Talk.”

“I… I don’t know!” he cries. “It just kinda happens I guess?”

“You mean this wasn’t the first time?!”

Varian catches his mistake too late. “Er…” he hesitates, the ability to function halted by Cassandra’s outrage. Varian laughs sheepishly, running a hand anxiously through his hair. “No?”

Cassandra groans. “Ugh,” she mutters. “Just how many times have you been inside my head, kid?”

“Just two,” Varian says, quick to reassure her. He looks sideways at her. “Your dreams are strangely lifelike, milady.”

He has to duck to avoid the flying shoe coming straight for his head. “Varian!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Varian mutters, making a face. “Too soon?”

Cassandra quickly searches for something else to throw at him.

“Whoa, whoa, Cassie, just wait a second! It’s not like I can control… whatever this is. It just happens. Sometimes. Probably when we’re both asleep.”

Cassandra regards him for a moment. “Perfect. Then we’ll take shifts. No problem.”

“Cassandra, don’t you think whatever this is is happening for a reason?” She glances at him and shakes her head dismissively. Undeterred by her skepticism, Varian keeps going. “I mean, we’ve slept at the same time before. Many times. Why now? Why here? What’s changed between then and now?”

“What hasn’t changed?” Cassandra mutters cynically under her breath. “Look, kid, I get it. You’re curious. But this is _my_ head. You’re trespassing in _my_ head, and now you want to keep trespassing? That’s not okay with me. Just… let it go, will you?”

Varian crosses his arms and slumps back against the wall.

Cass rolls her eyes. “Pouting? Really? Thought you were more mature than that.” She mutters the last part, as if Varian weren’t meant to hear.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know exactly what it means,” Cassandra says, shooting him a look. “It’s my head. I don’t want you snooping in there. Even if it’s involuntary.”

“Cass, I get it.” She glares at him. “No really, I do. I wouldn’t want people digging in _my_ head either. But it’s _me._ You know I’d never do anything to-”

“I don’t care,” Cassandra snips. “And I can’t believe we’re still having this conversation. Leave it _alone,_ Varian.”

“But-”

“I said let it go, Varian!” Cassandra snaps, eyes flashing. “You are _not_ going back in my head! End of story!”

Varian falls silent, depleted by her sudden anger. All his questions, concerns and theories, which had before been brewing in his head, dissipate. He’s sure there’s something in his eyes, for he sees Cassandra’s own widen before she turns away, hiding her face behind a curtain of dark hair. She sighs, wraps her arms protectively around herself, and looks out the window.

“Okay,” Varian breaks the silence. “Okay, Cassandra.”

“No,” Cass says, shaking her head. “No it’s not.”

He doesn’t respond. Cass shifts in her chains, clearly irritated with them. She pulls on them angrily for a little while until she gives up, exhausted. Varian watches the emotions shift in her eyes; fatigue, pain, determination; before she tries again, harder than before.

“Cass.”

She tugs, grunting with the effort.

“Cass.”

Cassandra continues to ignore him, trying to pull the chain out from the ground.

“Cassandra, stop,” he prompts softly. “It’s no use. You’ll only hurt yourself.”

She releases the chain binding her to the floor, pants for a little while, and then begins working on the bands binding her hands. Varian rolls his eyes.

“Cass,” he says reproachfully, shaking his head. “Will you cut that out? You’re starting to make me nervous.”

Cass glares at him, then ducks her head and keeps working. Varian sighs, just watching her struggle for a little while. Then he notices something. He stares at her cloak, taking note of the familiar embellishments, the color and the gold details. Varian tilts his head.

“That cloak,” he says.

Cassandra heaves a great sigh, her eyes flicking to his again. She looks exhausted, but still very annoyed. “What about it?”

He gestures to it. “Gothel was wearing something like it in… ah… your dream.”

Cass purses her lips, giving one final tug on her cuffs before she relaxes, regarding him. “That’s because it’s the same cloak.”

Varian hesitantly nods, accepting the answer as the truth. But that doesn’t mean he has to like it. He spares another glance at it before turning quickly away. Like daggers in his back, he feels Cassandra’s eyes on him. He doesn’t even have to turn around to know she’s raising an eyebrow at him.

“You have something to say,” she says. “And you’ve never been one to keep quiet about your feelings. Talk.”

He glares at her, irritated at her for ordering him around. Sure she’s in a difficult situation right now and probably feeling very vulnerable at the moment, but that doesn’t mean she has to take it out on him. “I just don’t think it’s very healthy, is all,” he snips.

“It’s the only piece of her I have left,” Cassandra snaps back with equal venom. “Can’t exactly bury her. Rapunzel pushed her out of a damn window and she basically fucking disintegrated!”

Varian flinches. But he stands his ground. “She abandoned you,” he says. “You shouldn’t want to keep a piece of her.”

Now Cassandra winces. “That’s enough, Varian.”

“No,” he says. “You always say that when you think I go too far. But do you wanna know what I think? I think you know I’m right. You know I’m right but you just don’t wanna hear it.”

Cassandra shakes her head. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“You and I both know that’s not true.”

Cass winces again and Varian’s anger dissipates. He knows she’s vulnerable, especially with her emotions, and especially with all that’s happened. He’s betrayed her once before and even though he apologized for it, he understands her reluctance to truly let him in again. But he does know her, no matter how much she dislikes it, and he knows what she needs. Arguing with Cassandra gets him nowhere. She’s much too stubborn to do anything but argue back. What she needs is someone to understand. Someone to relate to.

He takes a deep breath, his heart pounding. What he’s about to tell her is something he never talks about with anyone. He never dared bring it up to his dad, and he didn’t trust Rapunzel and Eugene with it, even when they had been friends. But if there was anyone that would understand it, it would be Cassandra. “I get it, you know.”

She looks at him quizzically but doesn’t say anything. He watches her bite her lip, as if she wants to say something, but she just stares at him. Emboldened, Varian continues.

“My mom died when I was just a baby,” says Varian. “I don’t remember her. Don’t even have any of her things. I don’t even know if Dad has any. He never talks about her. Or he never did-” he breaks off quickly, filled with a rush of emotion. Images flash before his eyes: his dad’s smile, the very few hugs he’d give Varian, and even the times where he yelled at him. Cassandra’s eyes soften.

“Oh, kid,” she sighs. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” says Varian gently. “I… I didn’t know her so I don’t really mourn her. Not really anyways.”

“I didn’t either,” Cassandra admits. “Not until I saw her.”

“That reminds me,” Varian says. “Do you… know who that little girl was? In your dream? Er, or in that room? I know she was you, or, the… younger version of you, but…”

Cassandra furrows her eyebrows. “She said she represented my emotions,” she says. “My deepest desires.” Cass casts him a quizzical glance. “You were there, you don’t remember?”

So she didn’t see what Varian saw. What happened after he got through to her. _You’re not supposed to be here._ Varian shudders. He wraps his arms around himself protectively. “I… I remember, yeah. But that wasn’t all she said. Do you remember when I snapped you out of the vision?”

“Uh, yeah, that’s like the clearest part of the dream.”

He rubs his arm subconsciously. “Well that’s not all I remember. Just before I woke up, you - she - said something to me. She said “You’re not supposed to be here.””

Cassandra doesn’t seem to share the same concerns as Varian. “That’s definitely me,” she says, and then glares at Varian. “You _weren’t_ supposed to be there.”

Varian rolls his eyes. “Yeah, we’ve established that,” he says and Cass snorts. “But that’s not the point. The point is, I don’t think we can trust her. I don’t think she’s _you,_ Cassandra. I think this is… something else.”

Cass furrows her brows contemplatively, tilting her head. “What are you saying, kid?”

Varian raises his hands. “Look, I don’t know everything. She, it, whatever the hell it is, cut me out before I could see the rest of the dream. I know you don’t approve but maybe if I could-”

“Varian, we’ve been over this-”

“I know!” 

Cassandra blinks at him, surprised by his sudden outburst. 

Varian sighs, and quieter, he says, “But if I can see the rest of the dream, maybe I can get something else out of it. Something I may have missed. Please, just… just hear me out on this, Cassandra.” He stares at her, meeting her eyes, pleading with his own. “I just… I just wanna help you, Cass. Let me help you. Please.”

Cass goes silent for a moment, apparently considering. Her eyes flick between both of his, iron doors wide open. He can see the sheer emotion there and it frightens him at just how exposed she looks. Cassandra’s been through enough already and Varian knows how important trust is to her. 

She’s never been one to rely on others, self sufficient as she is. And Varian knows she’d trusted Rapunzel. She’d put all her faith in the princess, whole heartedly devoting herself to her. Varian doesn’t know the full story, nor does he know Cassandra’s feelings on the matter, not really anyways. But he can see how afraid she is, not only to allow him in, but to place that fragile trust in him. She told him that she trusts him but Varian knows there’s still a part of her that’s wary of him, wary of disappointment, wary of potential betrayal and the consequences of that betrayal.

Eventually, Cass sits back, more thoughtful now than hostile. She eyes him. “Even if I said okay,” she says, and cuts him off before he can even say anything, raising an eyebrow. _“If,_ Varian. Notice how I said ‘if’.” She sighs, steeling herself. “Even if I let you in, I don’t know anything about how this works. I don’t know if I can control what you see.”

This was progress. He was making progress. Varian nods quickly. “That’s okay. Perfectly fine. I’ll be there to help you figure it out. Promise.”

Cass shakes her head, concern lacing her expression as her dark hair flies around her face. “That’s not all I’m worried about. I… I don’t like the idea of you being in my head when I’m not in control of what you see but…” She looks at him with wide frightened blue eyes. “Kid… what if… what if I can’t get you out?”

Varian pauses. He kicks himself, not having thought of that. The idea of spending the rest of his life trapped in Cassandra’s head terrifies him. Not only would he be trapped in a world he doesn’t understand, but never being able to see the sun again? Never getting to work with his chemicals, on his theories? Never seeing Ruddiger again?

No, he doesn’t want that. Varian opens his mouth to speak, but closes it again, furrowing his brows as his mind works to find a solution.

Cassandra immediately backtracks, shaking her head. “You know what? Forget I said anything. This was a bad idea from the start. Let’s just focus on getting out of here, okay?”

And like that, all his progress is gone. She’s retreating again, getting farther and farther away from him. And Varian can’t have that. Not only because he needs to know what’s going on, but because he cares about her. He needs her. He needs her to trust him fully, to let him in. He needs to help her, to guide her, to protect her, and he can’t do that if she’s reluctant.

The words escape him before he can even think to stop them. 

“I’ll do it.”

Cass looks at him, shocked. She purses her lips. “Varian, I don’t think…”

“I know. I get it, it’s a bad idea. But what if it’s the only one we have?”

“I could always just tell you the rest of my conversation,” says Cassandra. “Varian, we don’t need to go through all this trouble-”

“We can’t have Andrew hearing,” Varian counters. “I know it’s not my place to say, but I don’t want him to hear any of this if you’re reluctant to even tell me. I don’t trust him, Cassandra.”

She sighs, running a hand through her cropped hair. “You’re right,” she says. “Of course you’re right.” She looks at him, and Varian feels a jolt of… something kindle to life inside him once again when their eyes meet. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Varian blinks. “Wait, really?”

Cass nods. Then she glares at him, and he remembers who exactly he’s talking to. “But let me make myself perfectly clear. We’re going in _my_ head. That means I’m in charge. Got it?”

Varian quickly nods.

Cassandra softens. She runs a hand through her hair again, looking understandably anxious, and heaves a shaky sigh. “Okay,” she says. “Okay. So what now?”

Varian thinks for a moment. “Well, both of the other times we were both asleep. So I guess… we try to go to sleep?”

Cass looks dubious. “Really? That’s your plan?”

“Worked before.”

She scoffs, shaking her head. “I dunno, seems kinda lame. You’d think there’d be some kinda incantation or something.”

“Maybe,” says Varian, laying down on his back. He looks over at Cassandra to see her doing the same thing, looking uncharacteristically nervous. Before he knew her, really knew her, he thought Cassandra wasn’t afraid of anything. He’s determined to show her that this is nothing for her to fear. Not while he’s there. “But for now, this is all I got. Maybe it’ll work, maybe it won’t, I dunno. But one of the most important aspects of being a scientist is to test things you don’t know’ll work.”

“Varian?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m not a scientist.”

“I know,” he replies. “Just trying to maintain some of my sanity in all this magical bullshit. It’s kind of a lot. ‘Specially when I didn’t believe in… well, any of it.”

Silence for a moment.

“Varian?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m…” he looks over at her to see her eyes trained on the ceiling, firmly away from him. She makes a frustrated noise. “Never mind.”

Varian doesn’t reply. But he knows what she was about to say. To assuage her fears, he allows his hand to skirt over to her side, and just barely, his fingertips touch hers. She flinches but doesn’t pull away. Encouraged, Varian laces their fingers together. “I know,” he says, and she bites her lip in response.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Cass grumbles, and shuts her eyes. But still, she doesn’t pull her hand away.

Varian stares at the ceiling, taking in each detail. The color of the wood, the carving, the arching of the ceiling and the wooden panels lining it. “Hey Cass?”

“Yeah?”

“If it’s any consolation, I’m scared too.”

A pause. Then a curt, “Thank you.”

“But I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She laughs, of all things. “Kid, it’s my head. If anything, you should be worrying about yourself.”

“I know,” says Varian. “And I do. Worry about myself. But I worry about you more.”

Another pause. “Varian?”

“Yes, Cassie?”

“Shut up and go to sleep.”

“Right. Getting it over with. Got it.”

Cassandra snorts, and, taking a deep breath, Varian closes his eyes, allowing the darkness to take over.

~

Rapunzel worries about Adira every day.

She hasn’t heard from the older woman in weeks, and she doesn’t know if she’s okay. It’s driving her insane; just the thought that something else went wrong under her orders threatens to break the dam between her and her insecurities, which have been steadily increasing since Cassandra’s betrayal.

Eugene does his best to soothe her worries, but even he can’t do everything. She can’t help worrying, she’s a worrier after all, and she worries about everything there is to be worried about. She worries about Adira, worries about the prophecy and its true nature, even worries about Cassandra and Varian, wherever they might be.

And then, finally, Adira comes back.

When Rapunzel hears the news, she bursts from her room and sprints down to the throne room to greet her. Adira’s back is turned, but Rapunzel recognizes her by her size, her uniquely colored hair and by the low thrum of her voice as she speaks softly to Rapunzel’s father.

She throws herself at Adira, wrapping her arms around her neck. “Adira!” she cries, and, remembering that Adira doesn’t like to be touched, quickly removes herself, grinning in relief as she looks up at her friend. “You’re back! Oh my gosh, I was so worried something happened! Are you okay? _Did_ anything happen? Did you find them?”

Her father coughs from behind them, arching an eyebrow at Rapunzel. Surprisingly, she feels a strong jolt of anger course through her. She hasn’t forgotten what he’s done, his decision to confine her, to keep her within the walls of Corona, and though she understands why, though she had tolerated it for a time, Rapunzel can’t dismiss the growing feelings that decision inspired.

“Adira and I were just having a conversation,” says King Frederic. “She was in the process of briefing me on what happened on her journey. A journey I don’t remember allowing her to go on.” His eyebrow arches further, and Rapunzel feels that surprising anger again.

“You didn’t,” says Rapunzel, her eyes narrowed. _“I_ told her to go.”

“Yes, I gathered that,” her father replies. And he softens, sighing. “Rapunzel. I understand you’re upset with some decisions I’ve made. Truly, I do. But you’re not queen yet. You don’t have the authority to overrule me.”

“I’m princess of Corona,” Rapunzel counters. “And Adira’s sworn allegiance to me. Not Corona. I think I’m justified in asking her to do things for me.”

King Frederic purses his lips. “I see.” He turns to Adira. “Adira. Would you mind giving me a moment with my daughter?”

“Of course.” Adira glances at Rapunzel, bows to her, and winks subtly. “Princess.” She bows to the king as well. “Your highness,” she says before taking her leave.

Once the door shuts behind Adira, Frederic turns on his daughter. “What on earth were you thinking?”

Rapunzel stares at her father in disbelief over what she’s hearing. He’s angry with her? For trying to find her former best friend, now an enemy of the crown? She didn’t even break any of his rules! Well not technically, anyways!

“What do you mean, ‘What was I thinking?’” Rapunzel cries. “I was thinking about Cass! And I was thinking about Corona! If we can find Cass and Varian, bring them back, then maybe-”

“You sent a knight of the Dark Kingdom out to do work for Corona, Rapunzel,” her father says. “Not to mention the future king of this kingdom. If either one of them had gotten hurt, or worse, then we would have had yet _another_ serious problem on our hands.”

“They’re fine!” Rapunzel retorts. “And they wouldn’t have had to go if you didn’t keep me locked up in here like some child!”

Frederic’s eyes widen at his daughter’s uncharacteristic ferocity. Then they narrow. “That was for your safety as well as the safety of Corona. I trusted you to do things on your own and you allowed the Dark Kingdom’s most precious artifact to be stolen.”

“That wasn’t my fault!” Rapunzel cries. “Cassandra took it! If I had known what she was going to do, I would have stopped her!”

“It doesn’t matter who took it, Rapunzel. You’re a member of the royal family, and _you_ represent Corona, not Cassandra. Her actions are reflected on you.”

Rapunzel goes silent. She hadn’t been thinking like that. The idea that she’s now responsible for all of Corona, that her actions not only affect her and her own reputation, but that of the kingdom of Corona, hurts her case just a bit. But she’s not backing down. 

“And how are you handling this?” she demands. “Do you have anyone out looking for Cass? Or are you just worried about keeping me in check?”

“Rapunzel, you are out of line,” Frederic snaps. “Enough of this. You insist you’re not a child, but everything I’ve witnessed in this throne room proves exactly the opposite. I love you, truly I do, but you’re irrational, impulsive and you don’t think. Do I have the situation a hundred percent handled? No. But your mother and I are working on it.”

Rapunzel has absolutely nothing to say in response. She had come in here looking for Adira and had gotten a reprimanding instead. And was her dad not right? She _was_ acting like a child. She’d thought that being out of the tower would allow her some freedom, but now it wasn’t Mother Gothel restraining her. It’s her title.

The king pinches the bridge of his nose. “Oh Rapunzel. I’m sorry if that was harsh. But it needed to be said. You’re not in the tower anymore, and your actions reflect on all of us. You can’t just run around willy-nilly, trying to solve everything on your own. You have a great spirit and the best intentions, but you’re only one person. And people make mistakes.”

Rapunzel bows her head. “I’m sorry, Dad.”

He cups her cheek, raising her head to look at him. His eyes are soft, full of love. “It’s alright. I understand. You never grew up here and all of this must be very difficult to adjust to. But I need your word that you will try to make this work. Can you do that for me?”

Rapunzel hesitates. Could she? Could she just… give up? After all this time? Look pretty and smile? Wave? Like a good little princess should? Rapunzel hates that idea, cringes away from it. She’s always been a person of action, facing things head on. But this is her father, and she could get into even more trouble if she refuses. Right now she has some power, she can still do something inside the castle, even if it’s not what she wants to do. But...

Steeling herself, Rapunzel lifts her head and tries for a smile. “I’ll try, Dad.” If she doesn’t say the words _I promise_ then she has nothing holding her to her words.

Frederic smiles, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “Thank you, my daughter.”

She smiles, wrapping her arms around her father in a tight hug. “I’m sorry, Dad,” she says, pressing her face into his chest. “I really messed up this time didn’t I?”

He wraps his arms around her in return and chuckles. “It’s quite alright, Rapunzel. We’ve got guards out searching for Lady Cassandra and the boy as we speak. I promise you, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Rapunzel pulls away, looking up at him imploringly. “Nothing?”

Frederic shakes his head. “Nothing.”

Nothing. There’s nothing to worry about. Her father has things handled. She has nothing to worry about. Somehow, Rapunzel finds that hard to believe. Rapunzel’d seen first hand how Cassandra had looked at her once she’d snatched the moonstone right out from under her nose and even though she hasn’t seen her former handmaiden in a few months, somehow she knows those feelings, whatever they might be, haven’t diminished.

Rapunzel forces a smile on her face. “Okay,” she says. “I trust you.”

“That’s my girl,” says King Frederic, smiling down at her. Rapunzel bows to her father and turns to make her leave. “Oh, and Rapunzel?” Rapunzel turns around. “Corona’s to have a ball in a few days. Your mother and I need to speak with some allies of ours.”

Rapunzel blinks. “A ball? That seems a little excessive, don’t you think?”

“Allies are necessary for a war, Rapunzel,” her father says gravely, and Rapunzel pales.

“Is… is that what you think this is gonna come to?” she asks. “But Cassandra’s only one person! Even if she has Varian with her, that doesn’t mean she has the power to take down the whole kingdom!”

“I’m afraid we have no idea what she can do, especially with that moonstone,” says Frederic. “At least with other kingdom’s support, we can be a little better prepared should this come to a war.” He nods. “The ball will take place in a week. I fully expect you to attend.”

Rapunzel steps back, tries to hide her emotions, nods, and turns to leave again, thoughts brewing in her mind. Her father thinks a war is coming. Between who? Corona and Cassandra? Would her former best friend even stand a chance, even with her stolen powers and stolen alchemist? And even if she did, would Rapunzel be able to set aside her emotions to do what she needed to? She doesn’t even want to think about it, pretty sure she already knows the answer deep down.

And her father? Rapunzel knows he’s keeping things from her, keeping her trapped in here like a little bird in a cage. Sure she can do some things in the castle to help prepare, but without knowing important things? Like where Cassandra is? What she’s planning on doing? What Corona’s planning on doing in retaliation? No wonder she feels so helpless. She’s been out of the action for too long.

Her title is stifling where she once thought it would be freeing. She’s princess, not yet queen of Corona, and her parents still have authority over her. But this is her mess. She messed it up, so she has to fix it.

There will be no more sitting down and doing nothing, Rapunzel decides. Not while things are so obviously wrong. No, now is a time for action. Adira’s back and the gang’s all here. It’s time to take matters back into her hands.

And Rapunzel is her own person. She may not yet be queen, but she’s never been one to stand down when the going gets tough. And one day, she will be queen, free to run this kingdom the way she wants. She doesn’t look forward to that day, fears it even, but sooner or later, it will happen. And god help her, she’ll be the kind of queen who can take things on herself instead of trusting others to do it for her. She’ll be the kind of queen who takes care of people.

Filled with some of her old fiery determination, Rapunzel heads back to her room, intent on getting all the information she can from Adira, only to be totally caught off guard when she runs head on into someone, spilling the contents of a basket on the floor.

“Oh! Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” Rapunzel cries, reaching down to pick up the basket the person was carrying. Hastily, she stuffs clothes back into the hamper, only to realize that these clothes belong to her. There’s her nightgown, her adventure outfit, her casual dress… Her brow furrows. “What the...?”

Rapunzel looks up, surprised when she recognizes the girl. Doe brown eyes, a slender figure and curly hair cropped short. She looks shyly at Rapunzel before averting her gaze and taking the basket from her hands. “S-Sorry, your highness,” says Evie, kneeling down to pick up more of Rapunzel’s clothes. “I didn’t see you.”

Rapunzel laughs awkwardly. “Well I was kinda… distracted so it’s no problem. Also, I told you, it’s just Rapunzel, remember?”

It’s clear to Rapunzel that the girl remembers their past conversation. They hadn’t spoken since then, Evie very clearly avoiding her, and Rapunzel had tried not to let it bother her. To no avail, of course, for she had bonded with the girl over the past month they’d known each other, and not only her absence, but the fact that Evelyn deliberately went out of her way to skirt around Rapunzel really got to her.

Evie tries for a smile and bows her head. “Sorry,” she says again, neither calling Rapunzel by her name or by her title. “Well I’m sorry to have bothered you. I’ll see you around.”

“Wait!” Rapunzel grabs Evie’s wrist before she can escape. Meeting the girl’s eyes, Rapunzel fumbles with an excuse to keep her talking. “Those are my clothes. I never told you I needed them washed. And I don’t remember asking you to do chores. You’re my guest, remember?”

Evie shakes her head. “King Frederic offered me a job,” she says, the epitome of politeness. “He asked me if I wanted to be your new handmaiden and I accepted.”

Rapunzel blinks, surprised. New… handmaiden? Someone to replace Cass? She shakes her head, recoiling from the idea. “I didn’t know I needed a new handmaiden,” she says guardedly.

Evie shuffles on her feet a bit, obviously feeling awkward. She doesn’t meet Rapunzel’s eyes. “Your dad thought that… since we spend a lot of time together, and since your other handmaiden quit, I could fill in for a little bit. At least until you choose another one.”

“My dad told you Cassandra quit?”

“Cassandra? Was that her name?” Her face is deceptively blank, but her eyes… her eyes show something else. Something like recognition. It makes Rapunzel more than a little suspicious.

“Yes…” Rapunzel says, regarding the girl carefully. “She was… my best friend.”

Puzzlement surfaces in Evie’s eyes, followed closely by a sudden understanding and subsequent sadness. Evie opens her mouth to say something, appears to think better of it, then shakes her head, averting her gaze from Rapunzel’s. “I’m sorry, your highness. I shouldn’t speak to you about this. I should be going.”

“No!” Rapunzel cries, and Evie whirls quickly around again, golden brown eyes wide. Rapunzel’s mind churns quickly, and before she even knows what she’s doing, she’s taking the basket from Evie and shoving it into a passing Friedborg.

“Don’t worry about that,” says Rapunzel, grabbing Evie’s hand. “I need your help for something… more important.”

Evie looks dubious as Rapunzel tugs her along, towards her room. Pascal on her shoulder squeals in panic, trying to gain purchase on her shoulder. Evie snatches him just as he falls off, placing him on her own shoulder.

“Uh…” she frowns. “W-What could you need me for that’s more important?” she stutters as they pick up pace, brown eyes wide and confused. Her other hand goes immediately to Pascal, keeping him from falling off her shoulder.

“I have a ball to go to in a week,” says Rapunzel, inwardly fist-pumping at the perfect excuse. _Thank you, Dad. For once one of these stupid royal activities can give me something other than blisters._ She looks back at her friend with a sideways smile. “Thought you could help me pick out an outfit. Maybe figure out how to do my hair?”

Evie looks less dubious now, more contemplative, and Rapunzel thinks of that as an achievement. She pulls the girl in her room, sure she’s forgetting something. Wasn’t there something she was meaning to do?

Rapunzel’s ready to ease the girl into telling her everything, has crossed over to her, but is caught off guard when Evie stops, staring at something with wide eyes.

“What are you...?” she turns to look at whatever Evie’s staring at, only to blink when she sees Adira, sitting casually on Rapunzel’s bed, observing the two of them with muted interest, Eugene and Lance arguing about something besides her. 

Oh, _that’s_ what she’d forgotten. She had wanted to speak with Adira.

Adira stands when she meets Rapunzel’s gaze, casting her a smirk. Rapunzel’s mind starts churning, and that fiery determination fills her again. They’re all here: Eugene, Lance, Adira and Evelyn.

Now. Now’s the time to begin! Now’s when they start figuring out ways to bring back Cassandra and stop the war! Awesome! She can’t wait to start.

“Sorry for the intrusion, princess,” says Adira, tossing a piece of candy into her mouth. Adira gestures to the men arguing. “They followed me in here when I decided to wait for you. Patience doesn’t seem to be their strong suit,” she says frowning.

Rapunzel shakes her head. “Patience isn’t really any of our strong suits,” she says laughingly, and clasps her hands together. “Which is why I’m happy to have you here.” Rapunzel grins, pushing Evelyn forwards. “And speaking of patient people, this is Evelyn of Dos Equus. Evie for short. She’s ah… my… new handmaiden.”

Evie stares at her, and Rapunzel nods.

“Don’t be shy, Evie! We’re all nice here!” Rapunzel encourages. Evie grimaces, not used to the attention, and folds her arms protectively around herself, her face burning red.

Three pairs of eyes, two disbelieving, one nonchalant, all confused, rest on the girl and she shrinks back, moving towards Rapunzel. “Uh… hi,” she says, offering a little wave. “Sorry I… didn’t know I was gonna be meeting all of you. I guess I should have prepared myself more. Not that I need to prepare myself to interact socially… just… uh, hi.”

Rapunzel grimaces, turning it quickly to a grin, and claps her hands. “Evie, this is Adira, Eugene and Lance. Okay, great! Now that we all know each other, it’s time to get down to business.” She looks around before turning to Evie. “Where’s Cami?”

Evie stares at her, eyes frightened and confused. Rapunzel frowns, reaching out to her.

“Evie? You okay?”

“Uh, Sunshine, maybe this isn’t the best time…” Eugene says, casting a glance at the fifteen year old girl standing besides her. “If there was something you and Evie were planning before we barged in, then we can leave. Maybe debrief later?”

Rapunzel frowns, tilting her head. “What’s wrong with now? We’re all here right?”

“Blondie, I really don’t think…”

“Eugene’s right,” says Adira, and immediately, all chatter ceases, everyone’s attention immediately drawn to the woman, who’s watching Evelyn carefully, eyes unreadable. Her brown eyes flick back up to Rapunzel, calming and assuring. “Now isn’t the best time. We’ll meet somewhere later. Rapunzel? May I speak with you for a moment? Alone?”

“Adira, I don’t know. I wanted to talk to _everyone_ about what happened out there. Also there’s this ball-”

“A ball?” Eugene asks. “Blondie, you never said anything about a ball! Lance, come on, we gotta pick out some clothes.” Her love sends Adira a wink over his shoulder, and Rapunzel resists the sudden, childish urge to flip him off. Adira raises an eyebrow at her.

Rapunzel casts a glance at Evie, knowing for a fact that if she chooses to speak with Adira alone, then the girl would surely bolt, going back to avoiding her. But Evie was her handmaiden now, and from what she learned from Cassandra, her handmaiden had to attend to her needs. There would be plenty of time to speak with her.

Rapunzel sits down on her bed, placing her head in her hand. “Evie, you’re dismissed,” she says softly.

The girl looks visibly relieved, bows shakily and walks quickly out of the room, closing the door behind her. This leaves Rapunzel with Adira, who comes and sits down besides her, crossing her legs on the bed. They don’t speak for awhile, Rapunzel cooling off and Adira vibing in the silence.

“You seemed more headstrong and determined than usual just now,” says Adira. “Like someone electrocuted you. Care to explain what that was all about?”

Rapunzel shakes her head. “I don’t know I even really get it,” she says, running a hand through her hair. “Just… I’ve been cooped up in here for a month. A _month,_ Adira. And I dunno, it just seems like _nothing’s_ getting done. The most my dad’s doing is getting his allies together and I dunno, talking maybe? How’s that gonna do anything?”

Adira sighs. “He’s preparing for war, Rapunzel. Sometimes it’s better to prepare for the long term.”

“I don’t want to prepare for the long term. I want to go out there, find Cassandra and make her stop all of this.”

Adira shakes her head. “I know you do. And maybe it’s not my place to say, but you can’t always solve things by running into them head on. In the case of running a kingdom, it’s better to take a step back and look at the big picture. To look at who your decisions affect, and what the consequences will be. Like just now. Did you notice how scared that girl was? She’d never met any of us before, Rapunzel, and we can’t all be as sociable as you are.”

Rapunzel groans, putting her head in her hands. “Oh my gosh, you’re right! Poor Evie!” She sighs, running her hands through her hair. “I’m just… so _tired_ of being useless, Adira,” she says. “I want to be out there, not stuck in here while everyone else gets to help out. Maybe I got a little carried away with her. I’ve been so careful with her and her sister these past few weeks and one little talk with my dad’s enough to throw away all that progress.”

“I very much doubt all your progress with her’s gone forever,” says Adira. “And who says you can’t help out? I can’t say I agree with your father for keeping you out of the action, but I do agree with some of the things he does. A good king is patient, kind and dutiful. Your father is all of those things, and with your mother by his side, he runs the kingdom well.”

Rapunzel stares at her. “Sure he runs the kingdom well,” she grumbles. “When nothing’s going wrong.”

Adira sighs. “You need to give him more credit than that, princess. Just because he’s not doing things himself doesn’t mean he’s not doing anything. There’s a lot that happens underneath the surface.”

Rapunzel makes a noise. “Everytime I think I’m getting somewhere, someone just tells me I’m doing something wrong.” She shakes her head. “Maybe I was never meant to be a royal. Maybe I’m not cut out for this kinda thing.”

“That’s not true, Rapunzel,” says Adira. “You’re learning, and you still have a lot of time to learn. But you have to understand that being queen doesn’t necessarily mean solving things all by yourself. Or running into things without thinking.”

Rapunzel laughs. Well she feels called out. That’s the second time someone’s said that to her today. “Funny,” she says, even though it’s nothing but. “My dad told me I was impulsive today too. Maybe you guys are onto something.”

Adira dips her head. “Impulsiveness isn’t always a bad thing,” she says. “I’ve met many queens during my time on this Earth, and they all ran their kingdoms very differently. Your mother, for example, is one of the kindest queens I’ve ever met. It amazes me how much she’s adored in Corona.”

“Did you know Eugene’s mother too?” Rapunzel asks softly.

Adira smiles bitterly. “Yes, I knew Eugene’s mother. Joanna was her name, and she was rather different from your mother. She was in no way soft spoken, didn’t take crap from anyone and spoke her mind. But she loved her kingdom, fought fiercely for it. She was one of the few woman soldiers I knew, and she died fighting.”

“Does Eugene know?” Rapunzel asks carefully. “About how she died?”

“No,” says Adira. “I haven’t gotten a chance to tell him about Joanna.”

Rapunzel sighs. “He would have liked her.”

“Yes I think he would have,” Adira agrees. She looks at Rapunzel sideways. “But my point is that I’ve met so many queens. Some kind, some fierce, some impulsive and some cautious. They ran their kingdoms differently, that’s for sure, but that doesn’t mean they ran their kingdoms poorly.”

“But from what I’ve seen, the good ones are the ones have passion,” says Adira, smiling secretively. “The good queens are the ones that love their people, are willing to do anything for them no matter what. Like Joanna was. She was a warrior queen, Eugene’s mother, and she died for her people.”

Rapunzel can do nothing but listen, not wanting to interrupt Adira when she so obviously is in the middle of something. Rapunzel just watches her, listens to her with wide eyes.

“Good queens have passion, Rapunzel. Remember that. Good queens are able to utilize that passion to help the people they love and protect their kingdom. But do you know what separates the good queens from great queens?” Adira asks. 

Rapunzel shakes her head, looking up at her. She doesn’t know if she’s going to be a good queen. She has passion, she knows it, has that inner fire, but she lacks restraint if tonight’s little fiasco was anything to go off of.

Adira places a hesitant hand on her shoulder, brown eyes steady. “Great queens have the ability to _control_ that fire. To blaze it like a forest-fire at some points and to dim it to a candle at others. The ability to control that passion. That, Rapunzel, separates the good queens from the great.”

Rapunzel hastily wipes away tears. “I don’t have that, Adira,” she says. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to control it. My dad’s right, I’m too impulsive! What if I never get anything right? What if I mess it all up like I did with Cass?”

Adira shakes her head. “You won’t.”

“And how do you know?”

Adira smiles secretively again. “Because you’ll have me,” she says. “And Eugene, Lance, and anyone else you meet along the way. Because you won’t have to do anything alone. You won’t have to make any decisions by yourself. Look at me, Rapunzel.”

She looks, and Adira wipes a tear from her face.

“Do you know what separates the great queens from the best?”

Rapunzel shakes her head.

“Support,” says Adira. “And let me tell you, you will never, ever be without that. You have fire, passion, love for your people, and even though you’re still working on control, you are in no way shaping up to be a bad queen. In fact, you, Rapunzel, sundrop of Corona, have the potential to be the greatest queen to ever live.”

~

“Varian!” Something nudges him.

“Mmm, just five more minutes, Dad,” he mutters. “Don’t wanna go to school.”

He hears a derisive snort, and then something kicks him in the side. Hard.

Varian jolts up, with a cry. He holds his stomach tightly, fighting the pain. “Ohhhh, ow that _really_ hurt, Cassaaaa...whoa, what the hell?” He’s sitting up, his feet sticking out in front of him, but that wasn’t what had startled him. He turns around to see himself - another him - laying on the floor beneath him, eyes closed, mouth parted and long dark hair sprawled on the floor.

“Whooa, weird!” he laughs, and pokes himself in the mouth. Laughing when his sleeping form makes a noise, Varian does it again. “Cool! Hey Cassie!”

He whips his head around to where Cassandra usually is to see her on her side, peaceful in sleep, arm outstretched and fingers intwined with his. Frowning, he looks around, searching for the other Cass. His eyes land to the right of him, on a pair of feet. He looks up and grins, leaping to his feet.

Cassandra stands there, a lucid Cassandra that looks exactly the same as her sleeping counterpart. She’s staring at him with one eyebrow raised. A look Varian recognizes as the one she gives him when she’s trying not to show her amusement.

Overjoyed at not being chained to the floor anymore, he bounces on his feet, grabbing both of Cassandra’s arms.

“We did it, Cass! Whoa, this is so weird. Like we’re astral projecting or something.” 

He whirls around, eyes immediately going to the door in the middle of the room. A door that clearly shouldn’t be there. With furrowed brows, Varian turns back to Cass, who, he notices, looks mildly uncomfortable. He tilts his head.

“Uh, what’s with the freaky door?” he asks, heading over to it. He glances around it, dumbfounded when it doesn’t appear to lead anywhere. “Not even attached to a room. Definitely not normal.” He laughs. “Though it’s not like any of this is normal.”

Frowning, Varian looks over at Cassandra, growing worried when she just stares fearfully at the door, not making a sound. He pads back over to her, hesitantly touching her arm, which she has folded protectively around herself.

“Hey, Cassie, it’s okay,” says Varian gently, gingerly tugging on her hand when she doesn’t pull away. “It’s just your head. If anything I should be scared to go in.”

Cass shakes her head. “Exactly,” she says, staring at the door. Being just a generic wooden door, it doesn’t look familiar to Varian, but he can see that Cassandra recognizes it. She shudders. “It’s _my_ head.”

Frowning, she starts heading towards it, Varian close behind her. She turns around at the last second, her hand resting just above the door handle.

“Stay close to me, kid, okay?” says Cass. “I don’t know what you saw in my dream, but something tells me it’s gonna be a thousand times weirder in here. I need you to promise me that you won’t wander off. Okay?”

He nods, suddenly serious, and looks up at her. “Promise, Cassandra.”

Cass nods in affirmation, and in a truly uncharacteristic act, Cassandra squeezes his hand before releasing him. And in silence, Varian watches with bated breath as Cass opens the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who binged Locke and Key on Netflix and LOVED every second of it???? It's me beech! The end scene in this chapter is based on one of the scenes from that show. Head Key! Mind travel! Sign me up! Also, one of the characters names is Nina! I never ever see any characters that share my name. But the actual show is scary as hell, so don’t watch it if you don’t like scary things.
> 
> Anyways, let me know what you think! I took a lot of the "queenly aspects" from Daenerys, as I think Rapunzel is a little like her, except without the dragons and burning people alive. And even though I think Daenerys is a little (okay maybe a lot) impulsive, I also think she has the ability to look back and think about the consequences of her actions (except for season 7 and 8, where they totally butchered her character. totally not salty at all.)
> 
> As for Rapunzel, I like and appreciate a lot of her attributes, but I feel like she just goes head on into some things onto the show and everything magically turns out okay. Which is fine in a kid's show, but not in my fic. That's not what happens in real life, okay? I love Raps, but sometimes I think she just rushes into things too much. And if she's going to be queen, she's going to need to learn how not to do that. To rely on others a bit more. Because she's only one person! She may be the sundrop, but (at least in my fic) she's not invincible.


End file.
